The first geodesic dome was built in 1926 in Germany. The geodesic dome house design was made popular in the 1950s after the inventor Buckminster Fuller traveled to many countries to speak about the structure. Many people doubted the design and thought it would fizzle out. However, it never did and it is making a strong comeback.
Geodesic dome homes are designed with triangular pieces that make up a nearly-spherical shape. Geodesic dome homes are perfect for solar panel installation as they can be placed at any angle.
Geodesic homes are a rare design but it doesn’t mean they need to be designed in one way. There are many ingenious ways these homes can be designed to provide either a rustic, retro or modern feel. They could be left as an open plan concept or a closed one.
Advantages of Geodesic Dome Houses
So why are people obsessed with Geodesic dome homes? Are they better than standard homes?
- Extremely energy efficient: Geodesic dome homes don’t have corners or pockets like other standard houses. They have better air circulation and even temperature distribution. This means you will need less energy to warm your house, especially during winter. Dome homes could also be built purely of glass. There won’t be a need to use electricity to light up the home during the daytime.
- 30% less building materials required: You need fewer materials to build a dome house as compared to a standard house of the same square footage.
- Can be built on rotating platforms: You could build a geodesic dome on a rotating platform. You could rotate your house to enjoy sunrises and sunsets. If you live in extremely hot environments, you could chase shades from other structures throughout the day. In this way, you will ensure your house remains cool at all times and you will use less electricity to cool your house.
- Earthquake-proof: Dome homes are the sturdiest houses ever built. There have been many stories of geodesic dome homes being the only ones left standing after an earthquake.
Disadvantages of Geodesic Dome Houses
- It is extremely difficult to erect chimneys.
- Due to its round shape, it can be challenging to divide up the house into rooms.
- The round shape of the house means that sound echoes throughout the space.
- Decorating walls can be tedious. Imagine hanging a painting on a curved wall.
- It is difficult to build add-ons to geodesic dome houses. Adding square rooms defeats the purpose of geo-dome homes.
- Geodesic dome houses are difficult to build due to design complexities when trying to build a sphere out of triangles.
The future is bright for geodesic dome homes. Advancements in technology have made building materials cheap and the construction of geo homes is now cheaper. The easiest way to get started with a dome house is to get a dome kit. You can get a geodesic kit for around $50,000. You can then assemble the dome kit and live in the house before deciding to build a more permanent dome house.
