Often, when people think of buildings, they default to imagining rectangular structures—or at the very least, structures with orthogonal floor plans and hard angles, certainly not buildings with circular plans. The rarity of the circular plan comes in part from the fact that poor design choices can lead to wasted space and awkward interior arrangements, especially if furniture and appliances are rectangular in shape. However, strongly designed circular planes can have a dramatic effect, generating extraordinary spatial configurations that meet a variety of aesthetic and functional needs, while challenging the material specification process. Below, we list 18 buildings with circular plans, considering their varying strategies of design.
In some cases, like 123DV’s 360 Villa or Austin Maynard Architects’ St. Andrews Beach House, the internal rooms are arranged and shaped radially, as if emanating out from the center of the circular plan. These designs are guided by a strong organizing geometry, and the circular shape is absolutely formative to the experience of each interior space. Another (fragmented) example of this interior design ethic is Rina Lovko’s Blue Terracotta Apartment, where internal separating walls are curved to mimic the exterior circular walls. Meanwhile, in their unique design for Himitsujanai Kichi, Itsuki Matsumoto and Ehime Architecture play on this radial interior design by offsetting the ‘center,’ allowing the visitor area greater space to open up into the surrounding landscape.
