Amazing And Modern Geodesic Dome Homes

Have you ever seen a dome home? Some of them can look a little whacky, and others are just amazing! We are going to focus on the best and the most beautiful of the geodesic dome homes. Whether or not you can get down with the design, there are some serious advantages to living in this alternative structure. They are eco-friendly and nearly indestructible. [from Design Museum]

Buckminster Fuller is the visionary behind the geodesic dome. His aim was to build a stronger housing structure with less material, and that is exactly what he did. Noticing that a triangle was twice as strong as a square support, he built the dome entirely out of triangles. While the dome uses fewer materials, it also maximizes volume. The dome was first displayed in 1954 at the Milan Triennale, where Fuller received the highest award, the Gran Premio, as well as international recognition. The architectural advances Fuller made can be seen in nearly any modern building with triangular supports. The original structure has gained popularity for its small ecological footprint and its durability in any climate. Today there are over 300,000 geodesic domes around the world.

The Ecopod

If you’ve been looking to take a trip to the UK, the Ecopod is for you. Located on the west coast of Scotland, the Ecopod is a “boutique retreat,” in the form of a geodesic dome. It is a vacation destination where you can enjoy nature without harming it. Guests get a private pod with mountain and coastal views along with a personal hot tub and deck. Yes, please! [from Ecopod]

Any dome-shaped dwelling is more energy efficient, because heating and cooling occurs more naturally as the air circulates without obstruction. Just based on shape, it takes 30 percent less energy to heat or cool this dome than a rectilinear structure. The Ecopod takes it one step further by using high-efficiency wood pellet biomass stoves to heat the dome.

The Clear Springs Dome Home

Much different than the Ecopod, though still stunning, this home is quite permanent and has two domes, one at the front and one at the back. It has all of the features and amenities of a rectilinear home, just a different shape. This giant Texas home is 6,331 square feet – not exactly a small footprint! That makes for a couple of big domes with some impressively high ceiling. [from MSA Architecture, Interiors & Planning]

In this case, the architects used the geodesic roof to take full advantage of the natural light with feature skylights.

The Ojai Valley Dome

This dome is placed in paradise and sits high on a scenic mountain in Ojai, California. Built by Pacific Domes, the elegant dwelling is prefab, inexpensive, and you can even put it together yourself. Despite the fact that the structure is made of lightweight powder-coated conduit, this home is built for longevity and can withstand the harshest of climates. The company boasts, “Safe in high winds, heavy snows and earthquakes, our architecturally engineered domes resonates with the power of nature.” This particular dome is 44 feet in diameter and has a high ceiling of 22 ft. The front window is acrylic, offering gorgeous mountain views. [from Pacific Domes]

The orange conduit draws attention to the triangular structure of the geodesic dome, making it a design feature. The modern space is complete with two hanging chairs, an arc lamp, and a feature art wall.

Tejlgaard & Jepsen Domes

These domes are not homes, however, they are meant to generate debate over alternative housing options. Tejlgaard & Jepsen believe the geodesic dome is one of the best designs for housing to date. Their architecture and public artworks in Denmark reflect this vision. Below is The People’s Meeting Dome. It was designed by deconstructing the form of a geodesic dome. [from Tejlgaard & Jepsen]

Located in Copenhagen, the Dome of Visions more directly questions the future of architecture. In the dome, debates on sustainable housing are held. In doing so, Tejlgaard & Jepsen are attempting to show representatives from the Danish building sector the advantages to breathable materials and greenhouse dwellings. The beautiful structure itself is enough to convince me!