Home Sweet Dome

[BADecker]

Home Sweet Dome

Driving down I-35 in Texas, between Waco and Dallas, there's a curious site just off the interstate. It looks like a massive, comical caterpillar rising up from the arid land, complete with antennae and smiling eyes; its sides are decorated with frolicking, painted cowboy boots. The structure could easily be mistaken for an art installation or whimsical tourist trap, but the building is, in fact, a 14,000 square foot factory. The Monolithic Institute in Italy, Texas calls its caterpillar factory Bruco, and it is within his bowels that a curious choice of home design begins to come to life.

Monolithic Domes are constructed from concrete ring foundations, reinforced with steel, and an inflated fabric Airform which creates the shape of the home – which is coated with polyurethane foam and a special spray mix of concrete. The homes are energy efficient and highly durable, built to withstand tornadoes, hurricanes and wildfires. They're the domestic choice for hundreds of homeowners and families across the country; every year, the Institute hosts workshops for people interested in learning how to build domes – and also conducts feasibility studies to help evaluate plans for such dwellings.

Here, a few dome dwellers share snapshots of their near-indestructible dwellings – and their reasons for living without edges and angles.

Go here http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/News/217735-2017-05-09-home-sweet-dome.htm or here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4477516/Home-Sweet-Dome-Monolithic-houses-USA.html for a massive amount of information and multitudes of pictures.

[pinkmann]

The first thing that came to mind was The Flintstones. But I know their houses were a little different but still. These pics are so bedrock.

[furling]

More like that futuristic movie by Woody Allen, I think they really lived in such domes there. As far as I remember it was called The Sleeper or something like that.

[Lancusters]

I don't like. What is this form better? Only those that it has no corners, but I got used to them and they to me do not interfere. Life in this house reminds me of Hiking in the mountains and living in a tent. How can you live in a house without Windows. It's more like a tomb and not a house. I am sure that there is no such projects in the future. Better to live in a trailer.

[cybersofts]

The building looks like the modern "Shire" from the movie "The Hobbit - The Unexpected Journey"

[pinkmann]

The problem with these is usable space. With a square house you have more room, furniture fits snugly against the wall etc. With curves and shit you'll find that you get wasted space unless of course you build custom furniture. But who has time for that.

[dondexter]

They look very uniform and organized. Not a place I want to live.

[zmb]

It must be hard to fit furniture in one of those.

[spadormie]

In the first time that I read the topic, dome, Sandy in spongebob is the first thing that comes in my mind. Because she lives in a dome. And I like the dome in texas. It is like living in a future. Futuristic home I guess.

[Inconite]

wow it's awesome.
I would like to live there.