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Work begins on world’s largest rotating house
February 2009
Work is underway on a pioneering project to construct the world’s largest rotating private house.
The Amos Group has begun construction work on Phase 1 of The Dumble, a major project which will create the most energy-efficient building in the UK.
And as work progresses, the ground-breaking scheme is being filmed by Channel 4’s high profile property programme, Grand Designs.
The astonishing circular house, set into a Derbyshire hillside, will not only be a unique home – it could literally be the shape of things to come, a showcase for innovative energy-saving designs and renewable energy capturing technology that could be applied to many more buildings in the future.
Employing a combination of pioneering techniques and modern methods of construction, with traditional and high performance materials, the Amos Group team will be helping to realise the innovative designs and build principles of engineer Robin Hamilton, who has spent six years perfecting designs and systems for The Dumble on his farm near Ashbourne. The combination of skills is already producing impressive results.
With input from architects CadenzaVM and property agents Fisher German, Robin has designed an environmentally sensitive building that is totally self sufficient in power, low maintenance and yet dramatically impressive.
Offering a huge 10,000 sq ft of living space across three open plan floors, the main circular section of The Dumble will rotate about a central axis, the 650-tonne building moving on 100 special castors to distribute the weight.
As well as giving an ever-changing rural panorama through its full-height windows and huge glass atrium, the house will be able to follow the sun, warming the interior through passive solar heating and, if necessary, turning away if it gets too warm.
Further internal heating will come from a ground source heat pump – fed from a borehole that also provides the property’s water supply – and from the specially constructed outer walls. Made from circular plastic sections filled with a new formula of concrete, the highly-insulated walls will help to keep the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
All electricity demand will be met from solar panels and specially-designed wind turbines set into the roof. These will feed power to storage batteries to ensure a constant supply.
Phase 1 of the project, which should be finished by June, is a 3,000 sq ft curved wing offering four garages with a spacious two-bedroom apartment above, complete with balcony. It is planned to start Phase 2, the main rotating house, on completion of Phase 1.
Robin Hamilton said that the project could have far-reaching implications for the construction of energy-efficient buildings in the future for both dwellings and commercial buildings.
“There will be nothing else like this anywhere in the world, “ he said. ”It is a totally adaptable design concept which could be applied to many other types of building, from houses to nursing homes to offices.”
“Innovative build concepts and cutting edge technology demonstrate that as main contractors, Amos Group are showing they are prepared to really push back the boundaries and take on the challenge of a truly pioneering project. They have a reputation for high quality work and I have every confidence in their skills.”
Amos Group Director Will Thomson said the company was proud to be involved in such a high profile and unusual project.
“This is a completely bespoke project and a perfect example of our flexible approach and our ability to work within budget and technical constraints,” he said.
“We will be employing a wide range of modern methods of construction, working to much higher tolerances and achieving a much higher thermal performance than in many buildings.
“We are confident that our construction abilities gained over a number of years, combined with new and exciting techniques, will see The Dumble takes its place as a world class building.”
For more information on The Dumble go to