round house, mt barker

I've been away in the, literally, wilds of southern WA. Staying with a friend in her lovely wood house surrounded by bush and a stone's throw from the ocean, internet and certainly wireless was a tad tricky. So back home now, with today's blip and back blips too for those who might like a look.

This is the shell of the Round House, now surrounded by fences and after years of being hidden by overgrown trees and scrub being brought, slowly, back to life. And why is it so special?

Well, built in the late 50s early 60s by Dutch engineer Huberthus Van der Kolk, it is a circular house that could be rotated through 180 degrees to exploit the seasonal changes, making the most of sunshine, light and shade as the climate and needs of the house required, an 'energy efficient concept ahead of it's time.,'..even the plumbing!
Now being returned to some of the splendour, the damage to the turning mechanism is deemed too extensive (and no doubt expensive) to rebuild, however, still a wonderful building and worthy of much needed tlc.