In Bremen, Delugan Meissl Associated Architects (DMAA) has transformed the former Kellogg's silos on the Überseeinsel into a prominent mixed-use complex, featuring a hotel at its core. This adaptive reuse project respects the industrial character of the 1970s structures, leveraging their existing form to significantly reduce the embodied carbon typically associated with new construction.
A second life for industrial Bremen silos
Once holding up to 5,000 tons of grain, the 1970s Kellogg's silos, still topped by their prominent red logo, presented a complex architectural challenge. DMAA's design focused on keeping their industrial character and symbolic presence, converting their cylindrical shells into the unique John & Will Silo Hotel. Opened in Summer 2024, this establishment, part of the Guldsmeden Hotels group, blends contemporary design with Nordic and Balinese influences.
Preserving history, crafting modernity
Each of the 116 double rooms and a penthouse suite adapts the silos' original circular and semi-circular geometries. Views of the River Weser are framed through precisely cut, narrow window slits in the 16-cm-thick concrete, which also admit natural light.
The original funnel-shaped outlets of the silos are integrated into the hotel's lobby, allowing the building's former industrial purpose to remain legible. This intricate conversion involved the excavation and removal of 3,500 cubic meters of concrete, carried out by hand within the hotel section.
A vibrant mixed-use hub
Beyond the hotel, the attached building, formerly a vitamin store, has been converted into five levels of office and conference spaces, offering 340 square meters of meeting area. Its rooftop now features an event venue, the Dachstuuv, with views over the city and river, accommodating up to 120 people. The adjacent rice store has also been transformed into a market hall. Together, these repurposed structures create a mixed-use complex with communal services, restaurants (including Zio Manu di Napoli for pizza), and an in-house brewery (Hopfenfänger).
Through this intervention, the Kellogg's silos became a testament to the architectural potential of industrial heritage, establishing a dialogue between the site's past identity and its evolving role within the urban landscape of Bremen. This approach exemplifies how a building's inherent character can be reinterpreted to define a contemporary sense of place.
Team:
Architects: Delugan Meissl Associated Architects
Project Manager Eva Schrade
Project Team: Birgit Miksch; Julia Oblitcova; Klaudia Prikrill; Martin Schneider
Visualization: Toni Nachev
Structural Engineering Wittler: Ingenieure Gmbh
Lighting Design: Die Lichtplaner Hans
Building Services Engineering Schweigatz Heizungsund Sanitärbau Gmbh
Bulding Physics Wittler Ingenieure Gmbh
Photographer: Piet Niemann
