Inventions of Buckminster Fuller, Part 6: Geodesic Domes
This is one of Bucky's inventions that actually went into practical use. Also, many people are actually somewhat familiar with this one (think Spaceship Earth at Epcot).
Any Architect or Engineer can tell you that 2 of the strongest shapes in construction are the dome and triangles. The geodesic dome is simply that, a dome made of interlocking triangles. When Mr. Fuller realized his dymaxion house would not become popular, he hoped this design would be the basis of home construction in the future.
Benefits of geodesic dome construction include:
can be built in any size (ranging from garden shed to sports stadium)
superior strength (some home construction companies claim their buildings can withstand Earthquakes, Cat. 5 hurricanes and F5 tornadoes with only superficial damage)
uses less building materials than conventional construction of similar square footage
a low surface to volume ratio results in more efficient heating and cooling (smaller exterior surface means there are less places for drafts and leaks to show up)
Negative aspects include:
Finding a contractor to build it can be difficult
Most banks will give you a hard time financing a dome (unless you put a very large amount of money down)
Any Architect or Engineer can tell you that 2 of the strongest shapes in construction are the dome and triangles. The geodesic dome is simply that, a dome made of interlocking triangles. When Mr. Fuller realized his dymaxion house would not become popular, he hoped this design would be the basis of home construction in the future.
Benefits of geodesic dome construction include:
can be built in any size (ranging from garden shed to sports stadium)
superior strength (some home construction companies claim their buildings can withstand Earthquakes, Cat. 5 hurricanes and F5 tornadoes with only superficial damage)
uses less building materials than conventional construction of similar square footage
a low surface to volume ratio results in more efficient heating and cooling (smaller exterior surface means there are less places for drafts and leaks to show up)
Negative aspects include:
Finding a contractor to build it can be difficult
Most banks will give you a hard time financing a dome (unless you put a very large amount of money down)
Comments
And I totally plan on having one of these as my next house.
Posted by Matt in Florida on 06/16/09 at 10:28 AM
Dumbfounded - then it would look like I live in a giant golf ball, and that is just rediculous.
Posted by Matt in Florida on 06/16/09 at 12:20 PM
Patty, as you can see from the picture they do have windows. And I find them very pleasing to look at. They may not be for everyone, but they definitely stand out. I don't think I would paint it white, probably green or blue with brick or stone around the doorways. Also, the design is very hurricane resistant (a big bonus where I live, both in safety and insurance). There is a company near Cape Canaveral that makes geodesic domes at about half the cost of traditional housing.
Posted by Matt in Florida on 06/17/09 at 09:13 AM
My dad was ahead of his time. We had solar heated hot water and a geodesic dome in the back yard served as our garden shed. That was in the 70's. The dome is still being used, but the solar heated hot water panels (wooden box filled with shavings from my dad's work as a machinist with pipe running throughout) deteriorated over the years.
Posted by driven2succeed on 06/17/09 at 07:48 PM
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Category: Architecture | Buildings and Other Structures | Futurism