Cohousing-L Mailing List: Domes for common houses -- or individuals

[Michael Mariner (maikano]

Maybe domes were discussed sometime on the list when I wasn't paying 
attention, but I don't remember seeing them discussed as alternatives to 
strawbale, earthships, etc.

I love rounded shapes of all kinds - underground kivas, sculpted adobe, 
eartships, the large dome at Sunrise Ranch community (near Loveland, CO). 
  

If you built a big dome as a common house, it could have a relatively 
open structure for the ground floor for the dining, dancing, kitchen, 
etc., then on the upper floor(s) it could have more private, enclosed 
rooms for the various purposes of your community.

My understanding is there are many advantages to domes and most of the 
disadvantages have been overcome (such as the original ones in the 60s 
used to leak).

I hear geodesic domes can be relatively energy efficient, and are 
earthquake resistant and high wind resistent.  They're not too expensive 
to build and can be built out of more sustainable materials (e.g., they 
don't have to be made out of wood/plywood.)

Any dome fans out there?  Any cohousing sites using them or considering 
them?  If not, why not?  Please, let's not get cohousing-L into another 
flame war about the merits of various building technologies -- if you 
want to proselytize, just refer us to your web site and be done with it, 
ok?

Michael

Coming Soon:  Communities of the Future website