Round house project and its implementation. Original designs, planning and construction of round private houses

The words “nature”, “naturalness”, “harmony” are in trend today more than ever. Everything new that appears in all areas of our lives undergoes strict face control not only from specialists. Ordinary citizens actively voice their thoughts on any issue, and often their opinion can kill any initiative. Therefore, when the boom in the construction of round houses or sphere houses, the builders did not become clever and present the advantages of new homes in terms of technology, benefits, etc. They turned to that part of the audience for whom the concept of naturalness and harmony with the surrounding world is important.

Why sphere?

The circle has always been considered an ideal shape and associated with life itself. Stars, planets, bird eggs, fish eggs, and even our brains are round. Humanity has always deified unknown forces and placed them in the pantheon, which, in his opinion, was a sphere. It is not for nothing that the tops of almost all churches are dome-shaped. Even now sharp corners in the house are associated with aggression, in contrast to soft, smooth lines, which, according to most, have a beneficial effect on the psyche.

People began to experience increased interest in round houses after the release of the film “The Lord of the Rings”. The charming green ball houses in which the hobbits lived gave rise to many imitators, and it turned out that building such a house on our own not that difficult.

A pit can be dug directly in the hill, and the soil from it can be used as a foundation and supporting walls. Little wood is required for construction, and the only tools needed are a hammer, a chainsaw and a chisel. Sunlight enters the house through the dome on the roof, and the cellar acts as a natural refrigerator.

From lyrics to specifics

Nevertheless, our ancestors turned out to be right in many respects, since the first sphere houses were built in the Iron Age and showed their best performance. The remains of the first round houses were found in the territory belonging to the Celts, even before the Roman invasion. These houses were built of stone or wood and covered with reeds.

The spherical house with a roof slope of 45 degrees turned out to be incredibly stable, and the smoke from the fireplace, which accumulated at the highest point of the roof, easily escaped through the reed roof.

As shown archaeological excavations, round houses were widespread on all continents of the Earth: just remember the plagues and yurts of the northern peoples, the tents of the eastern rulers and the adobe huts of the steppe inhabitants. The Romans, when building their grandiose temples, used almost no straight lines. Trying to unravel the mystery of centuries-old structures, modern architects were amazed by this fact.

Buildings that looked geometrically correct were actually built from rounded elements. Even today, some African tribes use round dwellings, which, by the way, have an independent origin and are not a copy of what they saw.

Solid advantages

Modern engineers unanimously claim that domed houses- technology of the future, which has virtually no disadvantages. A round house is one of the most durable structures possible. Thanks to the uniform distribution of the load along the edges of the dome, it is able to withstand all natural disasters: snow, rain, wind and even an earthquake.

The streamlined dome has high aerodynamic properties, so winds, even hurricanes, do not damage it as much as flat surfaces. In addition, snow and rain do not accumulate on the roof, but smoothly “move off” from it, due to which there is no additional load on either the roof itself or the foundation of the building. This leads to another advantage: a load-free roof does not need regular repairs.

A spherical house is resistant to earthquakes and explosions: even if such a structure is broken through in one place, it will stand and will not lose its strength. The fire resistance of a round house is much higher than that of a rectangular one. As practice shows, ordinary houses in large fires they ignite due to wooden floors roofs. There is no roof in the spheres, so there is simply nothing for the fire to “catch onto”.

The spherical shape significantly saves space, since with the same base area, a cube occupies 40% more volume than a sphere. This allows you to significantly reduce the amount building materials during construction of the structure. Air circulates freely inside the dome, and its temperature remains the same throughout the entire volume, which saves considerable money on heating and air conditioning.

The absence of right angles eliminates 30% of the wall area and adds the same amount to the floor area. Thanks to this, heat loss through the walls and roof is reduced by the same 30%. In addition, the sphere house does not have corners in which air always stagnates, so it is much easier to ventilate it. The windage of a round house is minimal, so the wind, hitting the wall, flows around it without creating drafts.

Absence load-bearing walls and the lightness of the structure does not require a massive reinforced foundation, which reduces the cost of funds and speeds up the construction process. When constructing the dome frame, small strong segments are used that are easily fastened together. The assembly of such a structure does not require special training or special skills.

The dome house has good acoustics, there are no resonating sounds, and the level of extraneous noise is 30% less than in a conventional box house. The light in the dome is distributed evenly, since the sphere diffuses it perfectly (remember the vaulted ceilings in temples). Even without additional lighting, the inside of the sphere is always light and comfortable.

Due to the absence of load-bearing walls, owners can plan the interior spaces as their imagination dictates. Door and window openings do not interfere with the strength of the structure and can be located anywhere. And finally, the rounded shape of the house is pleasing to the eye and fits perfectly into the surrounding landscape.

Underwater rocks

Despite all obvious advantages domed houses, they still have their drawbacks. Basically, these are difficulties that may arise during construction. Here are some of them:

It is impossible to calculate the dome in two planes. In order to build a high-quality structure, an engineer must have spatial imagination and excellent knowledge of 3D graphics;

Many subtleties and issues are not described in classical literature, so architects have to act by trial and error. There are not many specialists in the world who have extensive experience in building round houses;

During the construction of such a house, a lot of waste remains, since most building materials, as a rule, have a rectangular shape: boards, bricks, blocks. For reasonable consumption of materials, competent patterning of parts is necessary;

Many details of the future interior (doors, windows, furniture, stairs) must be made to order, and this is an additional expense.

If the construction is supervised by a competent engineer who can comply with all conditions, round house will stand for decades and delight not only the owners, but also their grandchildren.

We provide comfort

Today, domed houses are built on a wooden or steel frame from elements of SIP panels, reinforced concrete and even foam spheres. The dome covered with panels or plywood is covered waterproofing material, on which it fits flexible tiles. Insulating a domed house is a quick and simple step. Dome segments are ready-made cells for laying insulation in them, which only needs to be given the desired shape.

A stove or fireplace is most often installed as a heating system, placing it in the center of the dome. In addition to the stove, a heated floor is installed, which regulates the desired temperature in the house.

An additional source of heat is sunlight, which penetrates all windows, regardless of the location of the house. In addition, during construction it is necessary to correctly calculate the depth of the hole for the foundation. If it turns out to be deep, the entrance will be too low, and vice versa, a shallow pit makes the entrance high and contributes to heat loss.

Fuller Innovations

One of the most persistent promoters of the idea of ​​round houses was the American architect and engineer Richard Fuller. He was the first to propose an algorithm for calculating the dome and received a patent for its design. Fuller proved that the dome has a large load-bearing capacity, and the larger the dome, the higher it is.

He proposed using reflective materials inside the dome, which focus thermal radiation into the center of the house, due to which such buildings were recognized as energy efficient. Fuller showed the world that the houses of the future could accommodate the ever-growing population of the Earth. He was right, because their usable area is higher than that of square buildings, which means they take up less space.

Fuller's round houses are assembled from standard elements that are prepared in advance in production, and the assembly process is speeded up several times. Finally, to build such a house you don’t even need a crane: builders can move around the cells of the dome. For his services, Fuller received many honorary scientific degrees and awards. To this day he is one of the most recognized masters of design and architecture.

Vitaly Grebnev and the noosphere

Russian architects also did not remain aloof from the ideas of their Western colleagues. Architect Vitaly Grebnev came up with the concept of bioecopolis, which today is considered a new approach to housing construction. The author entitled his idea as “Architecture of the Noosphere.” The noosphere is a psychophysical, mental unity of man with nature, involving energy-information exchange. According to Grebnev, the age of the noosphere can be brought closer if we start building houses in the shape of a ball.

Architect Vitaly Grebnev: “Wise nature placed the basis of life in an egg, in an egg sphere. But not in a cube. The human skull is the same spheroid. All celestial bodies are round, not square. The world is filled with flying balls, but not cubes! And what energies and loads do cosmic bodies have to withstand! No one has seen a single UFO in the shape of a cube or rectangle. Maybe the aliens found new types of energy and knowledge that they were able to overcome their “cubic” thinking? Or maybe they didn’t have it...”

The architect plans to build them from the most modern materials: polystyrene concrete, aerolite and penosilalcite, and the finished form will be poured onto the pre-welded reinforcement. According to his calculations, a house with an area of ​​about 200 m² can be built in just 2-3 months.

Such a house will have the characteristics necessary to modern man: energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. Seamless design does not lose heat alternative energy will help reduce harmful emissions, thus reducing the burden on environment will be minimal.

Vitaly Grebnev suggests that in the near future entire mini-cities will be built in which people will be able to live in harmony with nature. The architect himself has Vacation home round in shape and claims that it is perfect place for life: “I realized that you can’t build expensively and for a long time, because nature doesn’t build like that. Suddenly I realized: nature does not have a right angle!”

Today, rounded structures are an unusual and popular solution for residential architecture. By using either cylindrical shapes, they create buildings that are warmer and more energy efficient compared to conventional buildings. Round-shaped private houses are being built different ways: monolithic, wood, brick, frame and others.

Original round house design

The buildings look extraordinary and invariably attract the attention of passers-by.

From the practical and technological side, it is clear that buildings whose walls were erected in a circle, with domed roofs - cone-shaped or cylindrical - far surpassed buildings of traditional shape in terms of the following indicators:

• Energy efficiency;
• Lower costs for building materials;
• Sustainability in difficult conditions operation.

Round houses can also be built from timber, different panels and straw. Designed by designers original technology construction of a frame round house. It can be one- or two-story, with a greenhouse or, have an attic or balcony - it all depends on the wishes of the future owner.

Building construction projects must be coordinated with the architect, housing and communal services and the construction company, if it is decided to turn to it.

Project of a round house made of sawn logs

Today, many organizations provide construction services while offering free projects. During approval, at the request of the future owner, some elements may be modified or changed.

The agreed project must be registered. You can purchase ready-made projects from relevant organizations and build cottages yourself. For those who are not ready to do the construction themselves, there is the opportunity to purchase already built houses.

A round house on a circular platform has differences not only externally, geometrically, but also in the method of construction.

There are such houses:

The layout of such buildings can be very diverse.

Round house layout

One of the original methods is to erect a building without partitions, where the inside of the room will look big hall. Such frame house You can build it yourself.

Cottage projects that include a round tower are quite extraordinary solution. In ordinary cases, the tower is used as a bay window for a dining room or living room, or an attic space is also installed in it.

In order to make a brick tower structure, you need a professional craftsman. If aerated concrete is used, then this is the simplest solution, since the work consists of simple processing of load-bearing wall products.

Advantages of round buildings

Wooden or other round buildings have certain advantages:

Building a round house with your own hands

The construction of round houses does not involve pouring capital foundation, the construction of piles or a light foundation will be sufficient.

If you want, you can do it basement or . After the foundation has been laid, you can bring in the building materials needed for the construction of the dome: boards, timber elements.
Using special steel modules, the frame of the building is assembled.

To do this job better, you definitely need an assistant. Main device For this purpose - a wrench. Using the prepared holes, the installation of the frame and stiffening ribs from the timber begins. Today, round cottages are installed on wooden frames or steel or reinforced concrete piles, with walls made of panels, plywood and spherical foam.

The tower is covered with waterproofing and moisture-resistant veneer on top of the panels. The voids between the parts of the frame are filled with thermal insulation products, not forgetting the hydro- and vapor barrier layer. Next, tiles or other roofing material are installed on the roof. Insulating a round house is quite quick and easy. Interior finishing can be done in different ways decorative panels, OSB, clapboard, house block under a log or timber elements.
The vapor barrier layer prevents an increase in humidity in the rooms and the heat-insulating layer. The dome of the building can “breathe”: a good microclimate will prevent accumulation excess moisture wooden structures installed frame will prevent its wear. The best thickness of the thermal insulation layer is 15 cm, which is enough to protect the room from the penetration of cold in harsh climates.

The base of a round house in the shape of a cylinder or dome with the same area is approximately 25% smaller compared to a square, and even more when compared with rectangular shapes.

Due to the resulting reduction in the amount of materials for the construction of round houses, their weight decreases, and the construction process becomes much easier and simpler.

It’s easy to build round houses with your own hands, you just need to adhere to this technology. A frame round house will last at least a century, and with proper care, about 200 years.

In the center of Moscow there is a famous round building that is completely different from its neighbors. Not even completely round. Two built by round house projects cylinders moved closer to each other. So close that they closed together and it turned out something resembling a figure eight or infinity. The second is more true. Because the building will soon become a long-liver, the second centenary term will begin in 2027.

Round house projects: historical background

It's hard to believe now, but at the very dawn Soviet power An unusual building has risen in the center of Moscow, near Arbat and Kutuzovsky Prospekt. Something in common with the house and the creative office. Three floors.

Of course, the top level is the working workshop of the architect Melnikov. All in windows, as many as 38 of them, overflowing with light that simply permeates the room from one side to the other. For some reason, it was originally a mystical lilac with an eye-catching red tint.

But the bedroom was golden. And everything: the ceiling, semicircular walls, of course, the floor. And also bed linen of the purest gold color, shimmering in the sun. There was plenty of it here, after all there were twelve windows. To wake up in the morning to particles of golden, sparkling and sparkling air. Mysticism was everywhere. For some reason, the whole family has to sleep together, next to each other in the same room. Only small partitions, not even reaching the ceiling, separated the children from mom and dad.

The unique house is a continuous realm of geometry. It’s not just cylinders that are in demand here. The windows are completely different from anything else. Hexagons, almost like ordinary rhombuses, are scattered on the walls. Not under each other, but shifted, as befits an ornament. There are no corners, so from afar it’s not a house, but binoculars, or two children’s spyglasses. Different heights.

One of the cylinders seemed to have been cut off, parts of the housing looked like nothing had happened before. It was as if a big wizard had cut off a piece of the house from top to bottom, evenly along its entire height. And instead he put up a transparent wall with panoramic windows and exposed everything that was so carefully semicircular wall hid.

House or tower by round house project stands and upsets with its slightly sad, history-worn appearance. It surprises and inspires optimism. Like everything that has a great future.

People have been building round houses since the beginning of time, and although in many ways rectangular shapes simplify working with space, calculations and planning, certain advantages of this type of buildings have not ceased to be relevant, and the rapid development of technology has brought new ones to this sector of the construction industry interesting ideas, capabilities and materials. And erected by traditional technologies a round house can sometimes appear from an unexpected angle with the presence of modern technology or materials. Economic considerations also play an important role here. In addition, we should not forget about such a component as the aesthetic needs of a person - his desire for harmony and perfection, and in this sense, close to natural natural forms round and curvilinear buildings have quite good reasons to be in demand.

Round house, construction

If we talk about the private, and above all country house construction, then the round houses in Lately really began to enjoy increased interest, and this led to the emergence of certain experience and new developments in the particular spectrum of this area.

In accordance with a narrower gradation, which significantly influences construction technology, round, or “radius” houses can be divided into three main types:

• Cylindrical
• Spherical
• Dome

Cylindrical houses

Cylindrical houses have roots in many cultures. Traditional houses of this type were built in Polynesia, Northern Europe, East Asia, and the American continent. Therefore, all types of traditional building materials and all types of structures have been repeatedly and comprehensively tested and evaluated throughout history. A round shape always psychologically attracts people, and sharp corners associatively cause a feeling of anxiety - this perception is the basis of living nature. In addition, the presence of right angles takes about 30% usable area floor, and adds the same amount to the wall area, which inevitably leads to heat loss in heating season. The rounded shape also affects the acoustics of the house, significantly reducing external noise and muffling the echo inside. The windage of the structure is reduced - the house better withstands wind loads.

Modern architects began to use cylindrical objects placed on their sides in their projects, which makes this format even more interesting creatively, and creates unusual approaches to planning and new technological solutions.

To build a cylindrical house, almost any building materials suitable for the construction of ordinary houses are suitable - brick, concrete, aerated concrete and foam concrete blocks, frame structures, timber and even sandwich panels, since a circle can always be inscribed in a polyhedron. However, the use of some sheet materials in the construction of a round house can significantly increase their consumption compared to the construction of a rectangular house. Therefore, in such a situation, it is necessary to make a preliminary calculation in accordance with the standard cutting of specific manufacturers of a particular material.

An important exception to the list of building materials suitable for building round houses are reinforced concrete slabs interfloor ceilings, which are always rectangular in shape. Therefore, reinforced concrete floors in a round house can only be constructed using a monolithic method.

Spherical houses

Fully spherical houses are not yet a very common option, both in private construction and in construction in general, since the significant structural loads that arise in the lower part of a spherical structure are much more difficult to provide with the necessary safety margin compared to a domed or cylindrical version. This entails more complex calculations, more complex technological techniques, more expensive materials, and the cost of implementation increases accordingly similar projects. However, the movement in this direction does not stop, and apparently, sooner or later, the determination of individual enthusiasts and advanced technologies will overcome this economic barrier, and spherical houses will become a familiar phenomenon for us.

Dome houses

Today, domed houses are both the most advanced in technology and probably the most promising option in the field of building radius houses. The unique self-supporting properties of the dome, its aerodynamic characteristics, and the ability to most effectively withstand any meteorological phenomena and disasters make this building geometry the most optimal in terms of ergonomic indicators. The 43 three-meter concrete dome of the ancient Roman Pantheon has stood for almost two thousand years without any major repairs, and that says a lot...

Technologies for constructing round houses

In the field of construction of traditional, cylindrical versions of radius houses, almost all conventional construction technologies are applicable. Recently, such houses are quite often erected on pile foundation, which creates an interesting additional visual effect, and at the same time, as a rule, reduces construction costs. Radius houses on a pile foundation look especially advantageous in areas with hilly terrain.

One of the interesting, and in some cases very budget-friendly options for bringing the idea of ​​a round house to life is a house built using Cordwood technology. The technology was born in England and has been used for many centuries. This technology in the Russian-speaking space is called by its own name: “Glinochurka”.

The essence of the technology is that well-dried and cleared firewood of a certain length is placed in a woodpile along the line of the wall of the future structure, filling the voids with a binding solution of clay, cement, lime and sawdust. For insulated walls, firewood is laid in two or three rows, interspersing the masonry with longer logs for strength, and the empty space between the rows is laid with insulation - most often sawdust mixed with lime. Modern "warm" masonry mortar based on perlite can significantly increase the strength of the masonry and its thermal insulation properties. After the walls have dried, such houses are usually covered with a protective layer of plaster, leaving the ends of the logs or logs open, and they are treated by special means preventing the penetration of moisture.

Another interesting technology for building a round house from wooden blocks filled with straw is presented in the video:

The construction of a house from modern material - polystyrene foam - can be seen in the following video:

Design of round houses

In the technology of private construction of domed houses there are two main directions, which differ in the principle of distribution load-bearing beams, or trusses of the dome structure. The first, classic option is the axial placement of beams, reminiscent of the placement of parallels and meridians on the surface of the globe. Such a dome is symmetrical, and its power structure consists of quadrangles, the size of which gradually decreases towards the top of the dome. Often such beams or trusses are bent to strengthen the structure and give the dome a more spherical shape, but this significantly affects the cost of construction. Another, largely revolutionary technology is the distribution of load-bearing beams according to the principle of the geosphere - a spherical surface divided into triangles of approximately equal size, the vertices of which are equidistant from the center of the sphere. This principle allows you to distribute the loads completely evenly and significantly save on material, but designing such a structure is much more complicated than the classic version, requires high precision, and is impossible without support computer programs. One of these programs is also on our website, it is designed in the form.

The inner and outer surface of the dome is usually sutured slab materials, or lumber, and insulation, vapor barrier and waterproofing films are laid between it. Soft bitumen shingles are most often used as roofing material.

More detailed aspects of technology, such as the development of connecting fasteners, methods of installing windows, cornices, ventilation and heating systems- are quite diverse, and are still being improved. Today there are many finished projects domed houses of varying complexity and architecture, different diameters, With in different steps beams and application various materials. House kits of such domes are sold fully equipped with materials and fittings.

domed house with wooden frame, covered with OSB boards

Advantages of a dome house:

• Aerodynamic properties that allow you to effectively resist wind loads.
• Seismic resistance. A geodome, structurally consisting of triangular fragments, is capable of withstanding the destruction of up to 30% of the load-bearing surface.
• Minimum heating costs. The surface area of ​​a domed house, limiting the living space, is significantly less than that of a house rectangular shape with the same living area - heat loss is reduced accordingly.
• The choice of layout for a domed house is not limited in any way, since the dome does not require internal supporting structures.
• The weight of the dome is minimal and does not require an expensive foundation.
• The acoustics of the dome largely dampens external noise.
• In terms of the consumption of materials and the volume of construction work, a dome house is cheaper than building a conventional rectangular house with the same usable area.
• Spectacular view of the building.

The disadvantages of the technology for constructing domed houses include non-standard assembly methods, which usually require a construction team qualified in this particular area. In addition, there are certain difficulties when cutting the material, since the cladding parts are triangular in shape, and careful calculations are required to make the cutting economical. Requires special fittings and special precision in the manufacture of elements load-bearing structure, and the corresponding quality of wood. Only flexible, plastic coverings are used for roofing.

In the design of round cylindrical houses, the main difference from ordinary, rectangular houses is the nonlinear distribution of loads in the floors. Often in such houses a central support column or interior wall, which bears a significant load, which must be taken into account when constructing the foundation.

Designing domed and spherical houses requires great detail and precision, especially in projects based on a mathematical model of the geosphere. There are several levels of gradation (density of dividing the geosphere into triangles), on the basis of which the design is carried out. With a denser gradation, a more spherical surface of the dome is obtained, but the size of the load-bearing elements decreases, which entails the complication of the entire structure and its increase in cost. Usually, depending on the size (radius) of the house, the optimal gradation for a given size is selected, and on its basis more detailed design is carried out - extensions are organized, entrance areas, layout with placement of equipment and furniture, placement of windows.

Round house layout

The layout of a round house initially requires a more thoughtful approach than the layout of a conventional, rectangular home, since some types of furniture and equipment still require a rectangular organization of space, and this must be foreseen in advance. The organization of the staircase, if you are planning an attic or second floor in a round house, also needs special attention, since the ergonomic qualities of the future house largely depend on this. If we talk about a domed house, then when planning the attic floor, you should take into account that the spherical surface changes the angle of the slope depending on the height, so placing tall furniture in the wall areas of the attic will be impossible.

The video shows the dome house from the outside and inside during construction and clearly shows the structure of its frame.

Ecology of consumption. Estate: In reviews of unusual private houses, cylindrical buildings stand out somewhat apart. It would seem that at home with round walls They look just as unusual as, say, triangular ones, but they are completely foreign, out of the general order, and for some reason they are not perceived.

And indeed, in ancient times, so to speak, at the dawn of housing construction, the rounded shape was very popular - it resembled different natural elements and more than others - tree trunks. The round shape makes a certain sense - at least from an aerodynamic point of view - strong wind will go around a round house and will not tear the roof off it. Therefore, cylindrical houses are famous for their increased resistance to tornadoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, storm winds and heavy snowfalls.

In addition, building a house with a round plan will help you save on building materials. According to calculations, on average it takes 15-20% less building materials than a rectangular house of the same area.

And even that’s not all: round houses have wonderful acoustics. The noise from outside almost does not penetrate inside, because sound waves also go around the house, and inside different sounds are perceived softer. So a cylinder house can be a good option for people seeking peace and unity with nature.

Of course, there are also disadvantages in such houses - the most obvious of which is the absence of the usual straight walls. But if we compare round houses, for example, with A-shaped ones, then dead zones Not in the corners here either.

The lack of straight walls in a round house can be easily compensated for, as the Polish architects from KWK Promes Konieczny Architects did, creating the “Standard hOuse” house. They solved this problem simply - with the help of interior partitions. The customer immediately emphasized that a project was required universal home, which could be built anywhere. During the work on the project it was proposed various options internal layout around a concrete column placed in the middle of the house and passing through the roof.

Rice. 1. Standard hOuse, project KWK Promes Konieczny Architects

It turned out that the room has a shape close to a trapezoid. Although this is not the usual square or rectangle, it is much easier to furnish a room with two (or even three) straight walls. You can even use one of the many layout plans for such “non-standard” premises, which can now be easily found on the Internet.

Rice. 2. House plan Standard hOuse, project KWK Promes Konieczny Architects

For some, however, the roundness of the premises may not be a serious problem, for example, for minimalists who like to paint walls in White color and generally do not introduce any color spots into the interior, for example, paintings. Those for whom the best picture is the view from the window should like Villa Nyberg, designed by Kjellgren Kaminsky Architecture in Sweden.

This house has a fairly large area - 156 sq. m. m, being a real passive house, and is located on the shore of the lake. Here, only the first floor of the building has the shape of a complete “drum”. The second one forms a semicircle in plan and has panoramic windows and provides the owners of the house with access to a beautiful spacious terrace.

Rice. 3. Villa Nyberg by Kjellgren Kaminsky Architecture

A separate subcategory of cylindrical houses are residential buildings resulting from the conversion of abandoned silos, water towers or gas tanks. It is immediately worth noting that such a transformation is not at all limited to plastering the walls and filling the space with pieces of furniture. Redevelopment requires availability good project and certain costs (not to mention the fact that such a building still needs to be found) for refurbishment, strengthening and insulation. But in the end you can end up with a very beautiful and comfortable home.

Fig.4. Grain silo house, Texas, USA

For those who like more intricate buildings, an example is the round house, built in Japan and more reminiscent of a fairytale tower than a hermit's shelter.

The unusualness of this building begins right from the threshold - a thin curving staircase leads to it, since the entrance to the house is located on the second floor. The surprises (and stairs) don’t end there: inside, the space doesn’t at all resemble the round or semicircular shape typical of the other projects cited. It is divided by four parallelepipeds that reach the ceiling, and rather resembles a labyrinth. Inside these “boxes” there are four more staircases, each leading to its own room on the first floor (a bathroom and three bedrooms). Alternative Entrance door Directly to the first floor, however, there is also one.

Rice. 5, 6. House in the town of Chikharada, designed by Studio Velocity

Round houses can be completely different: intricate or laconic, large and small. This option may be suitable for those who are looking for a balance between eccentricity and comfort. But if the craving for straightness of angles and lines still overpowers, it is not at all necessary to abandon the harmony of round space. You can compromise and add a more traditional outbuilding to a round house, or add a turret to a rectangular house.

Rice. 7. Horton Rounds circular house in Northamptonshire, England

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