A fifth-generation farmer dreamed of converting a 60-year-old grain silo into quality sustainable farmstay in order to diversify their farming business, share their lifestyle and region with the public, and create a legacy for their children. The result – The Silos Accommodation – is a bucket list experience.
This project is driven by user experience and environmental sustainability.

User experience:
Arrival to the back of the silo brings guests right up to the structure, past the old grain chute. They wind around to a breathtaking view at the entry. Stepping inside, the same circular direction takes them upstairs to a bedroom with private night-sky viewing windows. The downstairs ensuite frames (and opens up completely) to a secluded bath-for-two view. A meandering path takes guests down into the landscape to a firepit or hot tub, right next to a bird-life-filled dead tree and the paddocks where local kangaroos live alongside the grazing sheep.

Sustainability:
The sequence and views above are also designed for perfect solar passive orientation. Various orientations and window placements were tested for thermal comfort. The generous primary windows are oriented and shaded perfectly to allow winter sunlight to flood in, while protecting from hot summer sun. Shelter from winds and summer purging considered. Every element of the original silo was reused or reinstalled, design and construction prioritised longevity and thermal performance, and the residence is all electric and off-grid.

Photography by Matt Beaver