The former industrial building, Silo in Basel, was given a new life with quirky porthole windows and creative working spaces/hostel rooms.
The Basler Lagerhausgesellschaft, also known as BLG, was constructed in 1912 as a German silo for storing grains and cocoa imported from Latin America. It was part of the Deutsche Bahn freight yard silos for the Basel warehouse company.
Fortunately, the historic warehouse in the new urban district of Erlenmatt was saved from demolition thanks to the Habitat Foundation's intervention. It now serves as a multi-functional space, housing a restaurant, affordable working spaces, and a hostel with dormitories and private rooms.
Behind the simple facade is one of Switzerland's first reinforced concrete structures, which stood the test of time. The Silo is a showcase of exemplary work on how to preserve a beautiful concrete structure and introduce new functions.
Porthole-like windows were incorporated into the original facade to provide the interiors with proper ventilation and ample daylight. The industrial structure was adorned with retractable blue window blinds, giving it a touch of Italian flair.
Led by Harry Gugger Studio, Silo's renovation from 2016-2020 won Betonsuisse's architectural award.
On the ground floor are four workspaces and a restaurant with high ceilings and plenty of natural light. The restaurant opens onto a public courtyard with an outdoor seating area.
Thanks to a sensitive renovation of the Silo, its original character was preserved, and today, people staying at the hostel can walk through a live museum of architecture.
There are ten double rooms with en-suite bathrooms and ten four-person dorms.
The dorms have custom-made bunk beds and extra-long curtains to block the light coming through the large, rounded windows.
Each pod has a privacy screen, a reading lamp, and a USB-A charger.
The private rooms equipped with double beds have no TVs. Instead, you can observe the train and car traffic from your attic window.
Signalstrasse 37 - 39, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
