Thursday, September 20, 2007

ARE DOMES DEAD?
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(Posted to cheap-shelters 5/04.)
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MVS: "after Domebook 3 they realized that domes are not the one size fits all cure for awful architectural standards, and really don't work very well for the way most of us actually
live."
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I must confess to an early fixation on the potential economies of the dome shape. But -- like most things in life -- there is the way things could be/should be and there is the way things ARE. Since then, even as a carpenter, I've been unable to justify all the intricate compound angles and material waste and inefficient labor to end up with something most of my neighbors are going to HATE anyway. A multi-faceted shape -- like the pallet quonset or the pallet gothic arch -- with a square footrprint, like 16x16 is MUCH simpler and cheaper to build and retains many of the economies of heating and cooling which were an early promise of the dome AND has 27% more floor space than a 16' diameter dome. Plus the end result -- especially with the gothic arch shape -- is more conventional and attracts less of that special attention from the powers that be. It also results in two nice vertical endwalls for easy (conventional) installation of doors and windows.
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For those die-hards committed to "living in the round" no matter what, there is a multi-faceted approach to building a "dome" which results in each facet being a four-sided trapezoidal instead of a three-sided triangle. This approach cuts waste of materials to an acceptable minimum.
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The author of "Home Work" recounts the illustrious history of the dome. His arduous conclusion at some point that "domes didn't work" must be considered one of the great understatements of all time coming from the primary promoter of them. He goes on to say that if he was trying to build a home these days -- especially if he had to work a JOB at the same time -- it only makes sense to use materials which are readily available and eifficient to work with . . . using methods that are tried and true.
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Just as we all have our favorite flavor of ice cream and no one can convince us otherwise, we all have our favorite "flavor" of building shelter. We're quick to advance our flavor's advantages and reluctant to address those ever-present shortcomings. Personally -- for those of us with more time than money -- I think recycling free pallet wood into "conventional" shelter makes good sense and I'm putting a fair amount of time into promoting pallet gothic arch as a real-life test of my bias. I'm also fond of pole barns and LSC (light straw clay) for the economies and ease of construction they represent and I'll incorporate THEM into the design as I'm able. But things change. Six months ago, I knew nothing about LSC. Perhaps six months from now, I'll find something I like better. Until then . . .
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Someone once said, "If the only tool in your toolbox is a hammer, every problem starts looking like a nail." I LIKE my hammer, but I want lots of other tools in that box as well. The elusive balance is in enjoying our favorites while acknowledging others have their favorites too -- which are often quite different from ours. Or, better yet, employ a variety of methods and techniques in the same house . . . each wall can be different if we want.
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sail4free
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