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Bright idea: Couple's Grand Designs-style house that can rotate to follow the sun
A couple in Australia have built a house that can rotate to follow the sun.
Luke and Debbie Everingham's home, in Wingham, New South Wales, can turn full circle thanks to a turntable upon which it is built.
The rooms of the octagonal building are designed to let in more light than average, and thanks to the property's unique shape, are also more spacious than usual.
All the rooms are attached to a central core of plumbings and electrical fittings around which the house can turn.
The mechanism is powered by two small electric engines no larger than that of a washing machine, and is controlled using a touch-screen panel in the living area.
The couple, who spent £400,000 designing and building the house, told how the idea was born when their neighbours were discussing their own new-build.
They had commented that if they could start again they would orientate the house 15 degrees to the north, to which Mrs Everingham replied: 'Wouldn't it be handy to have a house that could move?'
Mr Everingham, 47, said: 'Immediately I started to think. Weight? The average house would weigh approximately 20-30 tonnes, or about 1 tonne per square. Weight is not difficult - ancient mechanical and structural engineering.
'Shape? The conventional rectangular prism would not be suitable. After experimenting with scale drawings to investigate octagonal and circular shapes, I was pleasantly surprised. A number of preliminary designs and layouts were created.'
The property, which is 24 metres in diameter, also boasts a three-metre, 360 degree verandah.
'It's a magic place to live because you can make the most of the weather and your surroundings,' he added.
'The only problem is that you can sometimes become a bit disorientated.'
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