Tulou MOC Review: Building a Round Hakka Earth House
The verdict first: the trick to a round tulou is approximating a circle with a regular polygon. This plan uses a 24-sided scheme, in which 24 equal-length wall segments are joined with angle pieces, then stacked with double-ring galleries and a closing roof.
Fujian tulou are one of the most recognisable subjects in Chinese-architecture MOC building, and the circular ones especially: enormous ring walls, layer upon layer of galleries, an enclosed central courtyard — they carry the presence of a whole clan compound. But a circular structure is exactly where brick building gets difficult: bricks are square, so how do you build a circle? This tulou MOC review takes the ring-structure logic apart step by step.
Ring foundation: approximating a circle with a polygon
There are no true circles in the brick world; every circular structure approximates one with a regular polygon. This plan uses a 24-sided scheme: 24 equal-length wall segments enclose the ring, with angle pieces connecting each segment to the next. The foundation stage lays the outer ring in 1x2 bricks first, then the inner ring, leaving the courtyard space between the two.
The key here is modular construction: don't try to brick up the whole ring in one go. Build six "standard wall segments" first, each containing an outer wall, a window opening and an interior partition, then join the six into a quarter circle, and finally close them into the full ring. Check the angle after every segment — each exterior corner of a 24-sided ring turns 15 degrees, and picking the wrong angle piece will throw the entire ring off true.
Double-ring gallery: the soul of the tulou
The most compelling part of a circular tulou is its double-ring structure: the outer ring is the living units, the inner ring is the communal gallery, and between them sits the ring-shaped courtyard. In this plan the outer ring is four storeys tall, using dark earth-yellow bricks to imitate rammed-earth walls, with small, densely packed window openings. The inner ring is two storeys, with wood-coloured pieces forming the gallery railings and columns; the column spacing aligns strictly with the window openings of the outer ring, producing a radial sense of order.
For the gallery, build columns first, beams second: stand up the inner-ring columns, connect them into a ring with long plates, and only then lay the gallery floor. Each gallery level steps inward by one stud from the level below, creating the tapering profile typical of tulou. Do not skip this step, or the tulou turns into a straight-sided tube building.
Roof and closure: sealing the circle
The roof is the last hard problem of a ring structure. This plan lays curved tile pieces along the outer ring, each tile overlapping the next at an offset to imitate a grey-tile roof surface; the ridge is edged with 1x1 round plates. In the middle of the courtyard sit a well, a stone table and drying racks, which give the whole scene some everyday life.
Because the tulou is a large build, it is worth splitting the roof into four independent sections as well, then clipping them onto the spare studs left on top of the walls so the model is easy to move and repair. Overall, this tulou MOC plan has clear ring-structure logic and a sensible step order; the finished model is about 40 cm in diameter, and it is a piece that Chinese-architecture fans and ring-structure obsessives should not miss.
FAQ
Q: How do you build a circle out of bricks for a tulou? A: There are no true circles in brick building — every circular structure approximates one with a regular polygon. This plan uses a 24-sided scheme: 24 equal-length wall segments form the ring, with angle pieces joining each segment to the next.
Q: How do you lay the ring foundation? A: Lay the outer ring in 1x2 bricks first, then the inner ring, connecting the two with radial brick segments. The outer ring's diameter determines the scale of the whole tulou, so mark out 24 equal divisions first, then fill them in segment by segment.
Q: How is the double-ring gallery built? A: The gallery is the soul of the tulou: two concentric rings of columns with horizontal railings, offset level by level as they stack up to form the circular walkway. Plates serve as floor slabs between storeys, and the columns on each level must line up vertically to carry the load.
Q: How does the roof close the circle? A: The roof steps inward along the outer ring, using slope pieces to reduce the diameter ring by ring and form a single-pitch roof surface. A final ring of ridge tiles caps the top, with the courtyard opening left in the centre, and the circular structure closes cleanly.