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Round Dwellings (December 15, 2006) 
Although famously ill-adapted for rectangular furniture, there is much to delight the
senses in round dwellings. A recent survey of Chinese housing types led me to
Ronald Knapp, who has authored or co-authored a number of books on Chinese vernacular
architecture--several of which are published by the press of my alma mater, the University
of Hawaii.
These large-scale apartment buildings are found in Fujian Province--a locale I hope to visit some day, just to explore these charming multiple-unit round dwellings. 
As you can see from this plan, the basic design idea is ancient: the exterior walls have only one gate and few other openings, providing a strong defensive posture. The interior courtyard provides light and a safe common area for residents. 
Here are the Ronald Knapp titles which I recommend. They are written in the typical dry academic style, but the illustrations and information are topnotch: China's Old Dwellings 
House Home Family: Living and Being Chinese 
Chinese Houses: The Architectural Heritage Of A Nation 
The Chinese House: Craft, Symbol and the Folk Tradition 
Modern multi-story round buildings are not common, but they do exist; one of the most famous is the Capitol Record building in Los Angeles. Here is a photo of a residential tower built in the late 60s with a clearly Chinese-inspired courtyard in the center. (photo courtesy of my friend and photographer Ian Lind over at ilind.net. 
For more on this subject and a wide array of other topics, please visit my weblog. 
copyright © 2006 Charles Hugh Smith. All rights reserved in all media. I would be honored if you linked this wEssay to your site, or printed a copy for your own use.
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