Unique rotating wooden house captivates visitors to Vietnam's Central Highlands

Bach Dinh Bac, vice-chairman of the People’s Committee of Hoa Hiep Commune under Cu Kuin District, said on Tuesday that this is the only rotating house in the area.

“It’s a highly creative structure,” he noted.

“With proper investment, it could become an experiential tourist attraction.”

This remarkable house is not the result of hi-tech engineering, but rather a self-made project by Pham The Dan, a 47-year-old resident of Giang Son Village.

Nearly two decades ago, he designed and built it himself using his mechanical skills and ingenuity.

When Dan first settled on the breezy hill of Hoa Hiep Commune, he was confronted with harsh weather—strong winds in the dry season and driving rain in the wet months.

This inspired his idea to build a house that could rotate to dodge the sun or avoid downpours, he recounted.

Drawing from his background as a harvester driver and mechanical repairman, Dan understood the mechanics of rotation.

After about six months of planning, he constructed a sturdy concrete foundation capable of supporting up to 30 metric tons.

Beneath the structure, he installed a system of bearings, gears, and chains to enable rotation.

The house’s frame was made of steel, with wooden panels and a lightweight metal roof to minimize weight.

The structure is elevated about 50 centimeters above ground and connected to a central rotating axis via Y- and V-shaped metal rods.

“The house can rotate using electricity, but I also installed a manual push mechanism in case of a power outage,” he explained.

The house consists of two main sections and weighs roughly 15 metric tons.

When the locking pins at the four corners are released, it can be rotated manually with minimal effort.

“Some days, when I feel a little bored, I rotate the house to face another direction, just for fun,” he said.

From doubt to curiosity, tourism potential

At first, many of his relatives and neighbors were skeptical when he unveiled his rotating house.

“They told me if I could actually make it spin, they’d treat me to drinks for a whole year. When I showed them, some thought it was an earthquake and ran outside,” he recalled.

Numerous curious visitors began arriving to see it in action, with some even inquiring about the construction method.

However, Dan has been reluctant to share technical details, considering the house a product of his personal research and labor over many years.

“I’m still working on ways to improve it—maybe even build a rotating concrete house or one that can be controlled remotely,” he said.

Nguyen Thanh Hoai, a visitor from Buon Ma Thuot City under the province, shared that stepping inside the wooden house was amazing.

“Watching it rotate slowly around felt like standing in a miniature wonder,” she said.

Dan’s rotating home has become a unique feature in the province, while local authorities see great tourism potential in the structure.

“With its novel design and immersive appeal, this house could become a highlight of Hoa Hiep Commune if properly developed and linked with other attractions,” said vice-chairman Bac.