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--- roun:roundhouses [2025/12/05 10:41] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1
+++ roun:roundhouses [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-# Roundhouses
+This topic is part of [[gt:buildings|Buildings & construction]].
+====== Roundhouses ======
-![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/roundhouses.jpg)
+![](wiki:roundhouses.jpg)
 ---
@@ Line 10: / Line 11: @@
+===== What are roundhouses? =====
-## What are roundhouses?
+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.
-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.
 <WRAP center centeralign>
 <figure>
-![](round1.jpeg)
+![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/palloza-etc-2-268x1024.jpg)
 <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)._
 </caption>
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 <figure>
-![](round2.jpeg)
+![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/roundhouses-that-roundhouse-1.jpg)
 <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._
 </caption>
@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 <figure>
-![](round3.jpeg)
+![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/roundhouses-reciprocal-1.jpg)
 <caption>
-Reciprocal roof frame from below.
+_Reciprocal roof frame from below._
 </caption>
@@ Line 68: / Line 68: @@
 <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._
 </caption>
@@ Line 75: / Line 75: @@
 </WRAP>
+===== What are the benefits of roundhouses? =====
-## What are the benefits of roundhouses?
 - The reason they appeared so often in history is possibly practical - a cylindrical shape is one of the easiest ways to make things stand up - try it with twigs.
@@ Line 93: / Line 92: @@
 <figure>
-![](round4.jpeg)
+![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/roundhouses-charlie-1.jpg)
 <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).
+//
 </caption>
@@ Line 105: / Line 104: @@
-## What can I do?
+===== What can I do? =====
 Attend a course and read books (especially Tony Wrench's _Building a Low-impact Roundhouse_) to learn how to do it yourself, or hire a specialist to build one for you. If you're going to build yourself, you can choose from various walling materials (see above), and they can potentially be more than one storey. Here are some tips for foundations and reciprocal frame roofs.
@@ Line 116: / Line 115: @@
 <figure>
-![](round5.jpeg)
+![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/roundhouses-whirling-1.jpg)
 <caption>
-Constructing a 'whirling log' roof (on a Wholewoods roundhouse course).
+_Constructing a 'whirling log' roof (on a Wholewoods roundhouse course)._
 </caption>
@@ Line 142: / Line 141: @@
 <caption>
-Building a cordwood and cob roundhouse in Cornwall.
+_Building a cordwood and cob roundhouse in Cornwall._
 </caption>
@@ Line 154: / Line 153: @@
 <figure>
-![](round6.jpeg)
+![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/roundhouses-bronze-age-1.jpg)
 <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._
 </caption>
@@ Line 167: / Line 166: @@
 <figure>
-![](round7.jpeg)
+![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/roundhouses-tinkers-bubble-1.jpg)
 <caption>
-A modern thatched roundhouse at Tinker's Bubble community in Somerset.
+_A modern thatched roundhouse at Tinker's Bubble community in Somerset._
 </caption>
@@ Line 184: / Line 183: @@
 <figure>
-![](round8.jpeg)
+![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/roundhouses-snow-1.png)
 <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._
 </caption>
@@ Line 199: / Line 198: @@
 <figure>
-![](round9.jpeg)
+![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/roundhouses-kath-1.jpg)
 <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)._
 </caption>
@@ Line 215: / Line 214: @@
-## Further resources
+===== Forum =====
-- ['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.
+This topic belongs to the section [[gt:buildings|Buildings & construction]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/buildings).
+===== Further resources =====
+- ['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.
 - [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)
+===== Related topics =====
+- [[buil:building|Low-impact building]]
+- [[plan:planning|Planning permission]]
+- [[rwtf:Round wood timber framing]]
+- [[tipi:Tipis]]
+- [[yurt:Yurts|Yurts/gers]]
+- [[geod:Geodesic domes]]
+- [[chsw:chainsaws|Chainsaws]]
-## Specialist(s)
+===== Specialist curators of this topic =====