Chris Romano shared the story of the Sister Shack, an innovative adaptive reuse project nestled within Silo City, just south of Buffalo’s First Ward. Positioned between the towering grain elevators, the shack is anchored by Duende, a vibrant social space, and framed by the nearby American Mill Warehouse, home to 160 apartments. This once-forgotten industrial site is being reimagined as a residential enclave, with the Sister Shack serving as a prototype for transforming Buffalo’s 15,000 vacant structures—reclaiming just one as a thoughtfully designed single-family home.

Once overtaken by nature after years of abandonment, the site’s post-industrial landscape has evolved into a thriving ecosystem. The Sister Shack, designed as a home for two sisters, reflects this natural and architectural renewal. The design separates living and sleeping quarters into two volumes—Shack A and Shack B—connected by a service core that opens up to the outdoors. Following a reductive design ethos, each façade includes only one new opening, with the largest framing expansive views of the river and silos, while meeting life safety requirements.

Romano's collaboration with artist Josh Smith introduces a surrounding meadow of wildflowers and perennials, softening the industrial context and enhancing the site's ecological value. The Sister Shack stands as a poetic gesture—both a reclamation of place and a vision for Buffalo’s post-industrial future.