Domes

Bucky Fuller invented the geodesic dome, whose framework consists of tetrahedral shapes combined to form a full or partial sphere.

Domes can be built out of concrete, fiberglass and various other materials. The lightweight ones, such as those built from fiberglass, can be easily transported, yet can also be amazingly strong (which partially explains why they’ve been used to enclose military radar antennas for decades). Some domes have survived hits by multiple hurricanes, such as the three storms that hit Florida in 2005-2006. And something like a lightning strike, for example, should have little if any effect on a house built in this way. Also, due to the fact that versus conventional structures domes present a smaller outside surface area compared to their interior volume, they can be easier to heat and cool. However, geodesic domes can pose problems with rain leakage, due to expansion and contraction of the exterior tetrahedral panels due to normal daily temperature fluctuations.

Non-geodesic dome-shaped structures can be built out of sandbags, or bags filled with earth, and beautiful ones have been constructed by architect Nader Khalili of the California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture. Khalili’s vision is for people worldwide (and eventually, immigrants to other celestial bodies, as he has proposed to NASA) to be able to build their homes themselves, using the soil they live on, rather than steel or dead trees, and his domes may be one solution.

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