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| roun:roundhouses [2025/12/05 10:41] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1 | roun:roundhouses [2025/12/19 15:52] (current) – [What are the benefits of roundhouses?] dave |
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| > “I’m not looking at this roundhouse as an investment – it’s my home, and at some point, usable stuff like the windows or stove can be taken away and used elsewhere, and the rest of the place will return to the earth.” - Tony Wrench | > “I’m not looking at this roundhouse as an investment – it’s my home, and at some point, usable stuff like the windows or stove can be taken away and used elsewhere, and the rest of the place will return to the earth.” - Tony Wrench |
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| ## What are roundhouses? | ## What are roundhouses? |
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| Roundhouses are cylindrical - a common building shape that has popped up independently in many cultures and in many parts of the world throughout history. A circle would have been the most popular building footprint on the planet at one time - think [[wp>mud hut]]s, [[yurts]], [[tipis]] (ish), [[wp>igloo]], [[wp>wigwam]]s (OK, they're both domes), as well as [[wp>hogan]]s, [[wp>crannog]]s, [[wp>trullo]], [[wp>palloza]]s, [[wp>rondavel]]s, [[wp>clochan]]s and [[wp>broch]]s. | Roundhouses are cylindrical - a common building shape that has popped up independently in many cultures and in many parts of the world throughout history. A circle would have been the most popular building footprint on the planet at one time - think [[wp>mud hut]]s, [[yurt:yurts]], [[tipi:tipis]] (ish), [[wp>igloo]], [[wp>wigwam]]s (OK, they're both domes), as well as [[wp>hogan]]s, [[wp>crannog]]s, [[wp>trullo]], [[wp>palloza]]s, [[wp>rondavel]]s, [[wp>clochan]]s and [[wp>broch]]s. |
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| <WRAP center centeralign> | <WRAP center centeralign> |
| <figure> | <figure> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Traditional roundhouses from around the world. From top: Palloza (Spain), Trulli (Italy), Clochan (Ireland), Hogan (Navajo, US), Rondavel (Lesotho). | _Traditional roundhouses from around the world. From top: Palloza (Spain), Trulli (Italy), Clochan (Ireland), Hogan (Navajo, US), Rondavel (Lesotho)._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| <figure> | <figure> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Tony Wrench's famous home - '[That Roundhouse](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/posts/3k-eco-home-attitude-building-codes-regulations-interview-tony-wrench)' in Pembrokeshire; after a battle with the planning authorities, he's been allowed to live there. | _Tony Wrench's famous home - '[That Roundhouse](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/posts/3k-eco-home-attitude-building-codes-regulations-interview-tony-wrench)' in Pembrokeshire; after a battle with the planning authorities, he's been allowed to live there._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| <figure> | <figure> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Reciprocal roof frame from below. | _Reciprocal roof frame from below._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| [Tony Wrench's roundhouse](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/posts/3k-eco-home-attitude-building-codes-regulations-interview-tony-wrench) from the air - see how it blends into its environment. | _[Tony Wrench's roundhouse](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/posts/3k-eco-home-attitude-building-codes-regulations-interview-tony-wrench) from the air - see how it blends into its environment._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
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| ## What are the benefits of roundhouses? | ## What are the benefits of roundhouses? |
| <figure> | <figure> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| About to remove the 'Charlie stick' from a reciprocal frame roof | //About to remove the 'Charlie stick' from a reciprocal frame roof |
| (Wholewoods roundhouse in London). | (Wholewoods roundhouse in London). |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| <figure> | <figure> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Constructing a 'whirling log' roof (on a Wholewoods roundhouse course). | _Constructing a 'whirling log' roof (on a Wholewoods roundhouse course)._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Building a cordwood and cob roundhouse in Cornwall. | _Building a cordwood and cob roundhouse in Cornwall._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| <figure> | <figure> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Reconstruction of a Bronze Age thatched roundhouse on the site of a Bronze Age village at Flag Fen museum near Peterborough. | _Reconstruction of a Bronze Age thatched roundhouse on the site of a Bronze Age village at Flag Fen museum near Peterborough._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| <figure> | <figure> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| A modern thatched roundhouse at Tinker's Bubble community in Somerset. | _A modern thatched roundhouse at Tinker's Bubble community in Somerset._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| <figure> | <figure> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Snow on the roof is a good sign – no heat loss through the roof. | _Snow on the roof is a good sign – no heat loss through the roof._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| <figure> | <figure> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Roundhouse with a round wood frame, waiting for the roof to be covered and the walls to be infilled (Wholewoods roundhouse in Devon). | _Roundhouse with a round wood frame, waiting for the roof to be covered and the walls to be infilled (Wholewoods roundhouse in Devon)._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| - ['That Roundhouse'](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/posts/3k-eco-home-attitude-building-codes-regulations-interview-tony-wrench) - the story of Tony Wrench's roundhouse and his battle with the planners in Pembrokeshire. | - ['That Roundhouse'](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/posts/3k-eco-home-attitude-building-codes-regulations-interview-tony-wrench) - the story of Tony Wrench's roundhouse and his battle with the planners in Pembrokeshire. |
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| - [Reciprocal Frame Structures Made Easy](https://cms.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/reciprocal-roofs.pdf) - I wouldn't go that far, but an interesting paper on reciprocal roofs. | - [Reciprocal Frame Structures Made Easy](https://cms.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/reciprocal-roofs.pdf) - I wouldn't go that far, but an interesting paper on reciprocal roofs. |
| | - [Prehistoric Society](https://prehistoricsociety.org/sites/prehistoricsociety.org/files/resources/ps-intros-ia-2-roundhouses.pdf) roundhouses factsheet |
| | - [Roundhouses in Britain and America](https://greywolf.druidry.co.uk/2014/11/roundhouses-in-britain-and-america/) |
| | - [Avalon Archaeology](https://swheritage.org.uk/avalon-archaeology/our-story/iron-age-roundhouse/) - reconstruction of an Iron Age roundhouse |
| | - [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundhouse_(dwelling) |
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| ## Specialist(s) | ## Specialist curators of this topic |
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