Thinking outside the box to live in a dome
Posted by staff / September 10, 2013
Not many people look at a soccer ball and see its architectural possibilities, but that was the inspiration for this unique, cheap and portable living structure designed, built and dwelt in by Bruce Hauman.
Being a builder and noticing early on how expensive housing is I have had a lifelong fascination with alternative structures. Having built and lived in a variety of structures over the last 22 years I can say that alternative structures are not all created equal. The difference in the ability of these different structures to shelter and provide a nice place to live is dramatic.
The frameless dome pictured above is the culmination of my experience with these structures. Three and a half years after building it I am ready to advocate it as an excellent alternative lightweight structure. I think this frameless dome balances many of the trade-offs of lightweight structures and arrives at an optimal structure that drastically minimizes construction complexity, time and price while maximizing livability.
The dome is constructed with 3/16” corrugated plastic and 3/4” blueboard foam insulation, held together with bolts and sits on a floor of insulated two-by-fours.
It does have electricity, which powers the radiator, exhaust fan and small window air-conditioning unit, all one would need to keep 209 square feet a comfortable temperature. Plus, this amazing structure cost a mere $2100 for Hauman to build using only basic carpentry tools.
While we may miss many a modern convenience, it sure looks appealing when the time to pay the mortgage rolls around.
Full story at Rig Some Light via Boing Boing.
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