Roundhouse

Tuolumne Roundhouse

Chaw’se Roundhouse

Located in a converted house, the Greenville Roundhouse was an after-school center and community hub for Greenville, California’s native Maidu community. In 2021, the Dixie Fire tore through the Sierra Nevadas, destroying the Roundhouse along with much of the rest of Greenville, and taking with it irreplaceable tribal archives and a central space of gathering.

In 2023, atelierjones met with members of the Roundhouse Council to replace the lost building. While the former center was housed in a typical western home, it quickly became clear that a design rooted in traditional Maidu culture would hold deep meaning for the community. With this as a guiding principle, atelierjones set out to design a multifunctional space that could become a pillar for a community rising from the ashes.

Maidu roundhouses were traditionally laid out with tribe members joining hands to trace a circle of the proper size for gatherings. Our design for the central space of this roundhouse uses segmented 4’ CLT panels that nod to this human-centered design practice. A skylight above this central volume is angled to align with the summer solstice, casting a band of light across the space that shifts with the seasons.

Serving as a multi-purpose after-school center, the central rotunda can hold tables for children or be cleared for larger events. On the floor, a geometric pattern adorns the floor, inspired by Maidu weaving arts, and inscribes the position of the sun on the solstice. Attached to this space, the kitchen features prominently, where the community regularly comes together to share food. The linear layout is designed for easy circulation and supervision of children. Outside, a play area and undulating kitchen garden extend the communal spaces to the exterior.

With fire an obvious concern, the building was designed for maximum resilience, with an external steel shell enveloping the CLT walls and ceilings. Burned timbers salvaged from the Dixie Fire are incorporated as round logs supporting the exterior canopy – a marker of rebirth after destruction.

Scheduled for completion in Summer 2024.