roundhouse

Roundhouse is a term with several related but distinct meanings. In railway contexts, a roundhouse is a building used for servicing and storing locomotives, typically arranged around a central turntable that can rotate locomotives to access multiple tracks.

Historically built in the 19th and early 20th centuries, roundhouses were often brick or masonry structures attached to the edge of a rail yard. The locomotives would enter from a service track, be serviced, and be directed onto one of several tracks by the turntable. As diesel and electric locomotives replaced steam engines, the need for turntables diminished, and many roundhouses were demolished or repurposed.

In martial arts and combat sports, roundhouse refers to a roundhouse kick, a powerful circular kick delivered with the leg in a wide arc to strike the opponent's body or head. It is used in many disciplines, notably karate, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts. Technique emphasizes hip rotation, leg speed, and balance.

The term is also used for cultural venues housed in former rail facilities, such as the Roundhouse in London, a large venue for music and performance located in Chalk Farm. Similar facilities in other cities reuse roundhouse buildings as theaters, galleries, or community spaces.