Built in 1923, the concrete Zwarte Silo was originally used to store grain as well as salt. To ward off moisture, the outer walls were treated with a layer of bitumen that weathered to create the building’s distinctive black facade that gave rise to the building’s name: ‘Zwarte Silo,’ which is Dutch for ‘Black Silo.’ While the architects preserved the raw industrial character and building elements as much as possible, they also added large glass windows to give the silo a new open and transparent appearance that connects the interior with the outdoor landscape.
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The renovated Zwarte Silo not only offers visitors the opportunity to shop for produce and prepared foods, but also serves as a space for people to gather, eat, and enjoy beautiful waterfront views. In addition to the tall grain silo, the architects also renovated the two adjacent low-lying brick warehouses, formerly used for salt storage. “The new function asks, in contrast to the closed character of the grain storage, for a more open character that opens itself to his surrounding area,” architect Jan-Peter Wenink told Dezeen. “For this reason we have made a large of nine-metre opening on the east side which gives an astonishing view over the harbour area.”
Via Dezeen
Images via Wenink Holtkamp Architecten
