A uniquely engineered rotating house in Dak Lak has drawn curious visitors eager to witness its design and mechanics. Built by local resident Pham The Dan, the house can spin 360 degrees on its axis with ease.

An architectural curiosity

Perched on a hill in Hoa Hiep Commune, Cu Kuin District (Dak Lak Province), a modest wooden house has captured widespread attention for its remarkable ability to rotate. After unlocking the four corner latches, the house can rotate a full 360 degrees around a central axis.

The house belongs to 47-year-old Pham The Dan, who first envisioned and designed it in 2005. When Dan moved to the hillside property, his elevated wooden home was heavily affected by wind and rain. Seeking a solution, he came up with the idea of a rotating house.

“I wanted the house to rotate to avoid the wind and rain direction and reduce weather-related damage. Rotating the house also lets me change the view and enjoy different scenery,” Dan explained.

He began by sketching the design, pouring a reinforced concrete base capable of supporting around 30 tons, and constructing the house on top of it.

A mechanical mind at work

The house frame is elevated about 50 cm above the concrete base. With his background in mechanical repair, Dan had the knowledge to install a rotating mechanism, complete with a motor, gearbox, bearings, sprockets, and chains - all integrated directly into the base.

On this structure, he welded a steel frame, installed wall panels, and roofed it with corrugated metal.

“The house connects to the concrete base via a solid iron rotation system. I designed it with a sprocket system that allows rotation via an electric motor. I also added bearings for manual rotation in case of power outages,” Dan added.

A surprise to many

After six months of construction, Dan completed the two-room house, weighing approximately 15 tons. It can rotate in either direction on its central axis.

Initially, when he introduced the home to friends and relatives, no one believed it could actually rotate. Many thought he was joking - until they saw it move with their own eyes.

“When the house began rotating, people were stunned. Some panicked, thinking it was an earthquake, and rushed outside,” Dan recalled.

Its novelty has drawn visitors who want to see it in person and learn how it works. However, Dan views the house as the result of meticulous personal research and is not yet ready to share the technique publicly.

Now, after nearly 20 years, the house still operates as designed. It remains functional, with his eldest son currently living in it. To stabilize the structure, Dan uses four corner locks.

Once the locks are removed, even a regular person can push and rotate the house to face a desired direction.

Bach Dinh Bac, Vice Chairman of Hoa Hiep Commune, confirmed the house’s existence: “This rotating house, designed and built by Mr. Pham The Dan, is the only one of its kind in our commune. Locals have visited out of curiosity, but Mr. Dan built it for personal use and hasn’t widely promoted it, so not many people know about it.”

Ha Nguyen