As part of the Pure Portugal Tiny Homes blog series, today we present Geodesic Domes in partnership with the wonderful provider we work with: Pacific Domes, Inc. You can find all Tiny Homes related articles here.

 

By Christine Anderson

When it comes to sustainable living, no one ever said you have to sacrifice style to earn your green-living gold star. The call to live close to the Earth is one heralded by many hearts around the world, and some people who live tiny also want to live grandly, but in a sustainable fashion. Geodesic Domes (domes) are favored structures of the tiny house movement because they marry beauty and elegance with close-to-nature sustainability in a fashion that uplifts the spirit, stirs the imagination, withstands the elements, and stands the test of time.

The beauty of these structures is striking: equal parts natural simplicity — like an immense honeycomb cell — and futuristic mystique. No matter where on Earth you choose to make your home, domes withstand the most extreme weather phenomena, including high magnitude earthquakes, windstorms, wildfires, and snow/rainfall. Often the only structure still standing after hurricanes, the geodesic dome has won awards from the American Institute of Architects for being “the strongest, lightest and most efficient means of enclosing space known to man.”

Domes are mathematically perfect structures, based on the sacred geometry of nature as interpreted by architect, inventor, and futurist R. Buckminster Fuller. The dome’s spherical form is composed of triangular facets, birthed from Fuller’s goal of creating a structure analogous to nature’s own designs. Shining with architectural integrity while showcasing their beautiful and perfect geodesic geometry, these domes boast a design that is sleek, sustainable, unique, and visually inspiring.

While these structures look incredibly futuristic and intricate, they are surprisingly easy to erect, especially if you choose to purchase prefabricated dome kits from one of the world’s first and foremost geodesic dome manufacturers, such as Pacific Domes, Inc. You can erect a pre-fabricated dome kit in a matter of hours with the help of a few friends and common hand-ratcheting tools. These kits provide an easy solution for homesteaders ready to outfit their little pieces of paradise – whether in Portugal or elsewhere in the world.

With the beauty necessary to contrast elegantly against inspirational vistas, and the brawn required to withstand nature’s extremes, the geodesic dome is an excellent choice for anyone ready to build their dream homestead…. or should we say domestead?

With a little creativity and planning, dwell domes can be given beautiful flooring, partitions, lofts, and numerous other add-ons. From bay windows to pre-hung doors to tunnel-like hallways that connect multiple domes together, your dome headquarters can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be.

Available in varying sizes, dwell domes can be constructed to house small families and even large communities.

This breakthrough shelter is cost-effective, easy to construct, and energy efficient – domes require approximately 30% less energy for heating and cooling when compared to a conventional building. This is because the ambient airflow inside the dome is continuous, with no stagnant corners, requiring less energy to circulate air and maintain even temperatures (read more about its energy efficiency and technical specs here).

In addition to the visible beauty and irrefutable logistics, dome living uplifts the spirit in a manner so profound, many claim it creates an environment of pure bliss. According to the ancient science of Vaastu, living in a dome will generate a conscious energy field which supports the evolution of the soul. Each dome has a different energetic quality.

“The structure of the Vaastu-inspired dome vibrates with cosmic energy and the bodily instrument resonates with this vibration. To create and offer a home of supreme bliss, and to enable us to experience that supreme bliss, here in this mundane house itself, these are the prime motives of Vaastu science”. -Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati

Benefits of living in a geodesic dome include:

1. Major savings on the building materials, resulting in lower final costs
2. Significant reduction in maintenance and usage costs, energy costs
3. Exceptional resistance to extreme weather phenomena and earthquakes
4. Closeness to nature
5. Futuristic, zen-like beauty
6. Unique style statement

So, whether you are looking for a cost-effective place to live, a structure that can resist the elements, or a home that will allow you to live closer to nature while making a statement, domes may be the answer. To find out more, visit our Tiny Home page dedicated to Geodesic Domes.

What’s the word on the street about domes?

According to CNBC, “Over the past decade, the world has watched in horror as hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, fires, earthquakes, mudslides, tsunamis and most recently, one of the largest typhoons on record, caused death and destruction in epic numbers. With meteorologists predicting even more intense storms in the future, some homeowners are finding a simple yet ingenious way to minimize their vulnerability: building a dome home. The domes’ balanced shape is self-supporting and strong enough to withstand the force of an EF5 tornado, a monster hurricane or a powerful earthquake.”

According to an interview in the European Business Review, “Another advantage that brings significant savings is that a dome house does not need a conventional foundation, only perimeter support! The dome can be mounted on simple foundations, made of wood, that can be thermally insulated. It can also be lifted on belts or concrete foundations or mounted on pillars, above the ground or on land that cannot naturally otherwise be used for the construction of a dwelling.”

According to Home Advisor, “From a pure engineering standpoint, geodesic domes are superior to traditional square homes. Geodesic domes are the only man-made structure that gets proportionally stronger as size increases. They are lighter, require fewer materials, are more efficient, are structurally more sound, and are more cost effective. The real question, then, is aesthetics—do you like the way it looks?—because all reason points to owning a geodesic domed home.”

Find out more about our Tiny Home Geodesic Dome offer here!