A family from Norway knows how to build a geodome under a glass dome (video) - EcoTechnica. All about domed houses: useful information on construction, planning, decoration
Benjamin and Ingrid Hjertefölger settled 3 years ago on the island of Sandornoja in northern Norway, 1000 km from Oslo. It is almost always windy and cold here. However, the harsh climate does not frighten a married couple with four children - they literally live in greenhouse conditions. The fact is that their house is hidden from the cold under a glass hemisphere, and when frost crackles outside, it is quite comfortable in their “greenhouse”.
The construction of the house, dubbed Naturhuset ("Natural House"), was started in 2011. At the base of the slope, a basement was built from cellular concrete with a monolithic ceiling.
IN next year a geo-dome was erected - an aluminum frame with glass panels (360 pieces in total) covers an area of about 180 sq.m. The diameter of the dome is 15 m, the height is 7.5 m. The glass used is single, 6 mm thick. The geodome was built by the Norwegian company Solardome.
Photo site naturhuset.blogg.no 
Photo site naturhuset.blogg.no Further construction inside the dome was carried out already in greenhouse conditions. The house was built from straw and clay by the forces of a married couple and their friends, there were no problems with building materials, they are literally underfoot. The family celebrated the housewarming in December 2013.
Photo site naturhuset.blogg.no 
Now the house is a adobe two-story building with flat roof and in three levels. It has five bedrooms, a spacious living-dining room, two bathrooms, utility rooms.
Photo site naturhuset.blogg.no 
Photo site naturhuset.blogg.no Behind the walls of the house - a garden and a vegetable garden. In the conditions of a short northern summer, the most heat-loving vegetables and fruits have time to ripen here - apricots, grapes, kiwi, plums, tomatoes, cucumbers. Under the dome, the growing season lasts five months longer than outside. In winter, it is impossible to grow anything - here, beyond the Arctic Circle, there is no sun at all for 3 months.
Photo site nhabitat.com 
There is a vegetable garden near the dome. Photo site naturhuset.blogg.no Under the very dome, on the flat roof of the house, there is a terrace where you can enjoy sunsets and stars, northern lights, sunbathing, yoga, lying in a hammock or swinging. From here you have a stunning panoramic view.
Photo site naturhuset.blogg.no 
Northern lights behind glass. Photo site naturhuset.blogg.no Ventilation pipes dug into the ground stretch from the house down to the sea. Due to the fact that the temperature of the earth is constant, the air entering through them from the outside warms up in winter, and cools in summer. hot water the house is provided by solar collectors. The vents at the base of the house, mid-level windows, and skylights keep air circulating inside the dome at all times.
Photo site naturhuset.blogg.no
Thanks to him, the clay house has a long service life - there is no rain and snow under the dome, there is almost always the same level of humidity. The owners claim that the house can "last forever if you keep it dry." In addition, according to them, there is no need to paint or even maintain the walls of the building.
Photo from boredpanda.com 
In Belarus, we will not see something like this soon - none of the domestic companies is even familiar with geo-domes. In any case, it will be an individual order, which, as we were promised in one company, “they haven’t considered it yet, but it won’t work out cheaply.” Therefore, if you want to see the glass geodome live, go to Norway, to the island of Sandornoy - the house is open to the public for a nominal fee.
Or you can watch a video on Youtube.
By the way, there are budget options greenhouse houses. But - also not in Belarus.
Greenhouse houses are also popular in Sweden. Architect Bengt Varn first realized his idea of insulating a house with a greenhouse back in 1974. The advantages of such a solution are especially noticeable in the cold season: when it is -3 ° C outside, plus 15-20 ° C behind glass. Unlike the Norwegian dome, the Swedish version has the shape of an ordinary greenhouse.
Our manufacturers can already cope with its manufacture and the cost will be comparable to the construction of a winter garden.
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For various exhibitions, the place where such an event is held is of great importance. Since exhibitions are held with the aim of presenting any product or creative products, therefore, the object of this event must interact well with the viewer or potential buyers.
The use of geodome structures is an excellent solution for organizing a venue for any event. They have the following benefits:
Mobility. The ease of installation and the type of assembly make it easy to transport the components of the structure, as well as dismantle the dome and change its location - erect the structure in another necessary place.
Quick installation. Our experts will build such a structure in just a few hours.
No need to build an expensive capital foundation.
Wide range of installation locations.
Strength and safety.
Aesthetics of the sphere.
The dome has a huge variety of options and various design solutions for its design. And the form attracts visitors with its beautiful appearance. The time spent in such a place is well remembered by everyone.
Glass dome as a greenhouse and vegetarium
Such a dome is perfect for arranging a greenhouse. It is worth noting that it is quite difficult to produce a geo-dome from glass. As an alternative, monolithic polycarbonate is used. It is completely transparent, so it best transmits the sun's rays.
The geodesic glass dome has the shape of a hemisphere, which consists of sections - triangles. The frame of the geodesic structure has excellent load-bearing properties, it is very durable, due to the fact that the weight of the structure is evenly distributed over the entire surface of the outer walls.
A distinctive feature of the glass geodome is that it does not depend on the influence environment. Since the design consists of triangles firmly connected to each other by special connectors, it has a high seismic resistance. And thanks to the streamlined shape, the glass sphere is not afraid of even strong gusts of wind, as the air currents slide smoothly over its surface.
In a geodome greenhouse, additional heating is not required. Due to its shape, such a greenhouse itself is able to provide the required temperature. The rays of the sun penetrate the glass covering of the outer walls and warm the soil inside the sphere. And the soil, in turn, generates heat on the surface and warms the air in the greenhouse.
The frame and the objects inside are also heated. The spherical shape has excellent aerodynamic properties for a greenhouse - air circulates vertically throughout the geodome without stagnation. A healthy microclimate for plants is always maintained in the dome.
Except functional features structures, it is worth noting that the glass geosphere is beautiful. Such a greenhouse or greenhouse will harmoniously fit into any exterior.
Why you should buy a glass biosphere from us
When buying a glass geodome from our company, you can be sure that only the highest quality materials will be used. We do full cycle production of domes and over the years of work have proven their professionalism, responsibility and honesty. We have a team of professionals in our staff who will erect a perfectly accurate dome structure in as soon as possible. Our geodome will serve you for many years.
"Hertefölger" in Norwegian means "one who follows his heart." And Hertefölger already definitely lives by this principle. After all, only a very special force can induce a person to move to live in a remote area of the Arctic circle. This is exactly what a Norwegian family of six did in December 2013.
They built a three-story solar geodesic dome 8 meters high with 5 rooms on the Norwegian island of Sandhornoja, located 1000 kilometers north of Oslo. For those not in the know, a geodesic dome is a hemispherical structure made up of a complex triangular structure. Their dome is made from a variety of organic materials, including sand, water, and clay. And the shape of the dome retains heat well for its inhabitants and protects them from strong winds and snowfall, typical of the region. It also shelters a garden area where the Hertefölgers grow fruits and vegetables. The glass dome gives a panoramic view of the natural beauty surrounding it, and also allows the family to admire the beautiful pictures of the Northern Lights.
“The feeling that you experience when you enter ours distinguishes it from all other houses. says Ingrid Hertefölger. - The atmosphere is absolutely unique. The house is calming. This calmness can almost be heard.”
These are all rewards for following your heart.
The dome is 8 meters high, has three floors, five bedrooms, and two bathrooms. 
Used goes to fertilize plants. The family also composts leftover food and uses clean, biodegradable home care products. 
The dome offers beautiful views of the surrounding virgin nature and allows you to watch the northern lights 
The Hertevölgers are planning to organize workshops, courses, tours and concerts in their ecological home. There are also plans to build additional domes for yoga classes and summer camps. 
More about the Hertefölger family in the video:
By materials.
Spherical, domed dwellings have been known for a long time - yarangas, plagues, wigwams, etc. - built on this principle. They are distinguished by high stability and ease of construction, which earned the popularity of our ancestors. But domed houses in their pure form, as a phenomenon of modern construction, appeared not so long ago - approximately in the second half of the last century. When the American scientist Fuller decomposed the dome structure into simple figures - triangles, from which the entire structure is often assembled. It is on this principle that many spherical houses are built today.
Dome houses: technologies and their features
A domed or spherical house is the name of one building technology. Actually, the name reflects the peculiarity of this type of housing construction - the house is not rectangular, but is made in the form of a hemisphere. Or rather - in the form of a polyhedron, approaching in appearance to the sphere.
This form better withstands wind and snow loads, with an equal building spot with a rectangular one, it has more usable area. But in such a house there is hardly at least one rectangular or square room. At least one side will be uneven. This complicates the layout, decoration, selection and installation of furniture. Most likely, all or most of the furnishings will have to be made “to order”, according to your own sizes and sketches.
Domed houses are being built, mainly according to frame technology so that the construction is easy. The frame is assembled from timber or metal pipes, sheathed with sheet building material (plywood, OSB). Between the racks of the frame, a heater is laid (expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, foam glass, environmental materials such as jute, dried algae, etc.). That is, apart from an unusual shape, there is no news, the materials are selected as for an ordinary frame house.
There are domed houses made of monolithic reinforced concrete. But this technology is used infrequently, especially in our country, where lumber is sometimes cheaper. If we also take into account the need for good thermal insulation of a concrete dome, its unpopularity becomes clear.
With frames domed houses not so simple. There are two technologies by which they are collected: geodesic and stratodesic dome. They have their own characteristics that can influence your choice.
geodesic dome
The dome is divided into triangles, from which the polyhedron is assembled. The peculiarity of this technology is that it converges at one point a large number of beams. To ensure their secure fixation, connectors are used - special devices made of steel, allowing you to reliably connect the elements of the supporting structure. Each of the connectors costs from 600 to 1500 rubles ($10-25).
A geodesic dome for a spherical house is built on the basis of triangles
Despite the fact that the number of connectors is in the tens or even hundreds, their presence greatly affects the cost of construction. Those who plan to build a domed house with their own hands try to do without connectors or make them on their own too. The reasons are clear, but with insufficient strength of the connection, the building may collapse under load. So with savings on this node, you must be very, very careful.
By the way, when using wooden beams there is a connectorless technology, but the assembly of such nodes requires high level carpentry skills and precision workmanship. And one more thing: they are not as reliable as connections with metal connectors.
The advantage of this type of frame is its stable construction. With the destruction of 35% of the elements, the dome is not destroyed. This has been tested in seismically active regions, during hurricanes. This stability makes it easy to remove a certain number of jumpers. That is, an opening under the door, windows can be made anywhere, almost any size. The only thing to consider is that the windows will be triangular. In this design, there is no escape from this. For many, this is a critical shortcoming.
Another feature - when assembling the frame, without sheathing, it has good resistance to torsional loads, but does not perceive horizontal loads very well. Therefore, the frame is first assembled completely and only then it is sheathed.
Stratodesic dome
Dome houses of this design are assembled from sections of a trapezoidal shape. That is, its fragments are more like rectangles or squares. This structure allows the use of doors and windows of standard design. For many, this is a big plus.
The disadvantage of the statodesian dome is that it is possible to remove structural elements only after careful calculation and strengthening of adjacent structures. So the transfer of a door or window, resizing is possible only after the change in the bearing capacity of this section or even the dome as a whole is calculated.
This technology has its own assembly feature. The frame should be sheathed as the racks are installed. That is, the second row of racks is assembled only after the first is sheathed, the third row - after the second is sewn up with sheet material, etc. This is due to the fact that in an unfinished form - without sheathing - the frame has a high bearing capacity vertical loads and not very resistant to torsional loads. As soon as the edges are sheathed, it becomes very stable and reliable.
Unlike a geodesic dome, a stratodesic connector is not required to assemble. The vertical parts of the frame are connected using special-shaped locks. Horizontal jumpers are fastened with a plate, which is fixed with bolts, under which a metal plate is laid.
There is another nuance that affects the cost of a domed house. When cutting sheet material for a stratodesic dome, there are more scraps than with a geodesic dome. This somewhat increases the cost of materials. But they are compensated by the fact that windows and doors are used in a standard design, they are cheaper than triangular ones. As a result, the cost of the dome of different technologies is not much different.
Advantages and disadvantages
No one will argue with the fact that domed houses look unusual. If you want to have a house or cottage "not like everyone else" and have nothing against frame housing construction, take a closer look at this technology. The solution is really non-standard. Plus, they say it's economical. Price square meter starts from $200. But as you know, this is the minimum price. Such an economical option.
Advantages of domed houses
Except unusual appearance The advantages of spherical houses are as follows:
By the combination of characteristics, domed houses look very attractive. In addition, many say that the construction requires much less money - due to the smaller surface of the walls, material is saved. According to mathematical calculations, the area of \u200b\u200bthe walls is almost a third less. But the savings, if any, are not so big - the construction is specific, using specific components that increase the cost of construction. In fact, the cost per square meter is about the same as with the usual form.
Minuses
There are also disadvantages and they are also quite serious. In any case, it is worth knowing about them and taking into account.
There is also an unusual layout, but it cannot be clearly attributed to the shortcomings. I like domed houses precisely for their originality. So the non-standard shape of the premises is rather a feature that must be taken into account when selecting / ordering furniture and choosing finishing materials.
Projects and planning features
It is far from easy to plan a round building in such a way that it is rational, beautiful, and even convenient. There are several basic techniques that most adhere to. The first thing that catches your eye is that there simply cannot be corridors in such a house. They just have nowhere to go. This is not bad, but the layout of the house becomes more difficult from this. Let's start with a simple one - how to arrange the entrance to the house.
Entry group
For our climate it is desirable that entrance doors came out in small room rather than in a large room. Saves in this case a small vestibule. O can be distinguished from total area or attached. Approximately the same tasks are performed by a covered veranda. This is a more "civilized" way to solve the problem.
Not everyone likes this approach. Today, there are other trends in the world - from the front door they get into a large spacious hall / living room. Such a layout is also possible, but additional measures are needed to cut off cold air - thermal curtain near the entrance. It is made using convectors built into the floor or by installing several powerful radiators near the door. The first method is more efficient, the second is easier to implement. All these nuances are typical for domed houses. The only difference is that you have to rack your brains on how to fit the built-in vestibule. The other two methods are easier to solve.
Let's look at device options entrance group on examples. In the picture above, the right project, the entrance doors lead to the living / dining room. This decision is typical for Europe and America. We are gradually gaining popularity, but due to the more severe climate it often brings inconvenience - each door opening in winter brings a significant portion of cold air, which reduces comfort.
The option on the left is with an attached vestibule. There are two exits from the vestibule - one to the winter garden, the other to the kitchen/dining room. The solution is no less modern, but the problem of cold air entering the living quarters has been solved. So this idea is worth adopting.
If it is decided to make the vestibule built-in, obviously, you will have to allocate some area of \u200b\u200bthe house. The minimum is three squares (on the left project). It is logical if the living / dining room will be located further.
Another way is to select large area and use it as a hallway. Place a wardrobe here, a hanger for things “for now” (draft law). If the area allows, you can install a small sofa. For a frequent home, the presence of an entrance hall is practically a necessity. Dirt and sand are less dragged into the house. And this is another argument in favor of a dedicated input group. Attached or fenced off - it's your choice. But the entrance area is convenient. At least in our realities.
Space organization
Most often, the central part of the space of the domed house is allocated for common use. From this central area you can get to all the other rooms, which are located in a circle. In general, the central room turns out to be uncomfortable, since it is “very passable”.
It will not be possible to relax in it if it is a living room, it is not very convenient to cook in it if the idea comes to use this room as a kitchen, as a dining room it is also not the best the best option. Projects that use this space in this way are presented above. It looks great in the picture, but in real life you can’t count on a chamber atmosphere here. So the passage rooms are not the most inhabited.
Not the worst way to use this passage area is to install a ladder. After all, most of the domed houses have two floors, and the screw one just asks here. Just keep in mind that if you just twist it around the pole, it will be inconvenient to use - too sharp turns are obtained. If you design a staircase like a "well", it is difficult to build it yourself. So this part will have to be delegated to someone.
Otherwise, domed houses are planned in the same way as ordinary ones. The main rule to remember is that in order for engineering systems to be not very expensive, all “wet” premises are located close to each other. The location of bedrooms, offices and other "dry" rooms - to your taste.
Related videos
No matter how detailed the technology is described, its pros and cons, it is so difficult to get an accurate idea. We receive a significant part of information and impressions visually. Pictures and photos help only partially give general idea. It is much better to see everything with your own eyes in the video reviews.
One of the most popular elements of modern architecture.
As soon as people learned how to build beautiful and majestic buildings, they began to decorate them with domes. At first, it was just a good engineering solution: only a vaulted ceiling could cover a large room without additional supports.
But buildings with domes looked so impressive that this form of roof quickly became fashionable. Majestic palaces and temples, small chapels, pavilions, mansions of wealthy citizens were decorated with domes.
With the advent of the modern age building materials domes received new life. In their manufacture, they began to use glass and metal, which made it possible to create incredibly “light” transparent structures. Glass and metal are the most popular materials in modern construction. And transparent walls and roofs are loved by almost all architects.
Glass domes began their triumphal march from greenhouses and winter gardens. Today in the largest cities of the world you can find domes of various shapes and sizes. They decorate museums, theaters, municipal buildings, office and shopping centers.
were no exception and residential buildings. Domes on the roof of multi-apartment skyscrapers are successfully used under winter gardens or gyms. In a private house under it, you can place whatever your heart desires, but usually they arrange a recreation area with a winter garden.
Thanks to the reduction in cost and improvement construction technologies to install a dome on a cottage today is quite affordable.
What are domes?
When choosing a dome for our home or office, we first of all think about its shape.
Builders divide domes into 3 types:
- Simple: the surface of the hemisphere is divided into many pieces - windows, each of which has the shape of a trapezoid. To build such a structure is the easiest, and therefore cheaper. The downside of a simple dome architects call low expressiveness at small sizes. But on a large scale, such elements are used very often.
- With curved glasses. In this case, the carriers metal constructions and the glass is bent in the bottom plane. Such a dome looks attractive in any scale. In addition, this solution is convenient from a practical point of view.
- Fuller's hemisphere or geodesic dome. It is both practical and beautiful at the same time. The supporting structure in such a dome has the highest rigidity.
But in the modern market, glass domes also include pyramids, arches and other similar structures. But in glass and metal it is possible to embody absolutely unusual idea, although the cost of the work will depend on the complexity of the project.
The dome may have opening windows that are mechanically or electrically operated, or simply opened by hand.
Secrets of the popularity of glass domes
The most obvious reason for mankind's love for glass air domes is their aesthetics. Such a detail can make even the most ordinary building unusual and interesting. And the panoramic view from the inside cannot be compared with what we see from an ordinary window.
But glass domes have many other benefits:
- translucency;
- Tightness and strength;
- Reliability and safety;
- Comfort temperature all year round;
- Soundproofing;
- Ability to provide ventilation through windows.
The light coming through the glass saves on energy bills and replacement of lamps for artificial lighting. Therefore, architects usually calculate the size, shape and location of the dome so that it allows the sun's rays into the room throughout the day. If energy-saving glass is used, then the cost of heating in winter and cooling in summer will be modest. Besides, sunlight positively affects the psychological and physical health of people.
In most cases, structural glazing is used on the dome, in which the joints of the double-glazed windows are connected with thin seams of sealant. They completely exclude the ingress of moisture and wind inside the dome and allow you to admire the panorama in any weather. And if double-glazed windows are also energy efficient, then a comfortable temperature will be maintained under the dome all year round.
A standard dome is designed to easily withstand significant gusts of wind and the weight of snow cover. If necessary, safety and reliability characteristics can be improved by choosing materials with special properties for glazing.
What are glass domes made of?
Bases for glass structures are usually made of aluminum, which allows the dome to be light and at the same time strong. However, if the construction area is large, it is reinforced with an additional steel frame.
The choice of double-glazed windows is much wider. From the outside, tempered glass is often used - a material that is not afraid of overheating and strong impacts.
And from the inside, triplex glass is installed, which, in the event of an impact, does not crumble and does not form fragments: a special film continues to hold together even fragments of badly damaged glass. In terms of strength, it is somewhat inferior to hardened, but it costs less and has a small weight. Therefore, it is ideal for the inside of a dome, where the likelihood of strong impacts is minimal.
Reliability various kinds glasses can be compared in the table:
Glass type | Triplex | tempered | Armored |
|
Reliability | unreliable | It withstands impact well, breaks without splinters | Very impact resistant | Most Reliable |
Frequency of application in the construction of domes | Very rarely used with inside | Often used on the inside, rarely on the outside. | Often on the outside, very rarely on the inside | Very rare on the outside |
Lowest | VIP class |
Glasses can also be painted, tinted, sunscreen, electrically heated and bent. The latter look the most impressive, but their production is very laborious, and therefore the price is high.
Smart glass is often used for domes, glass roofs and panoramic windows. This material is called smart glass for its ability to self-clean. It is enough to pass the rain and the glass shines clean again. This allows you to save time and money on the care of double-glazed windows.
As a rule, with high-quality glazing in double-glazed windows, various functions are combined. For example, tempered can be dyed or tinted. Such glasses are called multifunctional.
Double-glazed window for the dome will have to choose a single-chamber to avoid excessive load on the supports.
With straps or without?
The glass dome may have strips passing through the junctions of the double-glazed windows. But you can use double-glazed windows, where the outer glass is larger than the inner one. They are attached to a special profile with frost-resistant glue - sealant.
With this fastening, external clamping bars are not needed: the design is even more airy and light. From the outside it may seem that the dome is made of solid glass.
Where can you place?
You can install a glass hemisphere or pyramid not only during the construction process, but also after its completion. In Europe, glass apartment modules have even been developed, which are enough to be lowered onto the roof and connected to engineering systems. In our country, glass lanterns can be installed even on old apartment buildings or private houses.
The dome can also be mounted on a sloping roof. But the angle of his own slope should not be less than 23%, 30% is considered ideal.
The most famous glass domes in the world: