Design Ideas

Hexagonal Domes

Our designs employ rooms (often hexagonal) with domed roofs and vertical walls. The hex room shape increases usable space compared to most other shapes. They can be nested together to create clusters. The domed roofs are the strongest shape. Vertical walls are practical for doors, windows, furniture, decoration, and weatherproofing.

 

The structures consist of a sandwich of:

  1. An inner shell of fiber composite placed over a removable form
  2. A honeycomb insulation layer made of fiber composite filled with high R value insulation
  3. An outer shell of fiber composite, waterproofed

This building technology is called Composite-Shell construction. Housing can be built for an extremely low material cost.

The room structure shown above can be combined with others in many ways. They can be linked, grouped, or nested into various configurations to provide a wide variety of housing solutions as shown below.

A variety of shapes can even be used -- 4, 5, 6, and 8 sided rooms all have potential and open up vast creative potential. The hexagon, shown here, is resource conservative. Half hexagons are suitable for alcoves, porches, foyers, mud rooms, sitting areas, study areas, and other small area uses.

Inflatable Forms Reduce Costs

Two layers of plastic sheeting are welded together at their perimeter and stretched across a tubular form. Air inflates between the layers to create a convex shape. One or more "wedges" are placed, then an inch thick of material is poured in place on the lower portion of the form. Then the honeycomb insulation layer is applied, and then the outside shell is applied. The forms are removable and reusable. Even doors and windows (except the glass) can be made from these same composite materials. Our ultimate goal is for do-it-yourselfers to be able to build one room in a day, or every few days, including windows, doors, floor, electrical, and modest plumbing.

Social Implications

Building at such a low cost would enable every family to afford housing without having to take out a mortgage. No longer would families be forced onto the streets due to the inability to pay rents or mortgages. Nor would families have to mortgage their lives for 30 years as is common in the West. The social implications would be tremendous when families can reduce their financial stress. Family violence, drugs usage, child abuse, and other social ills would be reduced as the pressure to survive is reduced.

Greater opportunities would arise as families have the time to pursue interests in education, gardening, music, the arts, yoga, meditation, and spiritual awakening in general. Families could return to having only one spouse work, allowing one spouse to anchor the family in culture, home education, inner values, and guidance which have been abandoned in large measure in the hectic pace of western "civilization".

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