Spherical Homes

[sanman]

They look weird, but seem curiously interesting from a technical-functional point of view.
You could probably get good air circulation inside them, and they'd probably be more efficient for climate control (AC/heating). So lower utility bills, or even compatible with off-grid living.




I think the spherical home might be nicer if bottom half of sphere was buried in the ground, with top half protruding above ground like a 'dome home' (with a dome basement). Stairs down to basement would naturally follow inner contour of sphere. Might be easier to install such a home in place, by simply rolling it around. Roll it off back of truck and into a waiting hole in the ground. Fill in the hole around the lower half of sphere until it's packed snugly. Then you won't have to worry about your foundation settling. I'm imagining an ideal size for such a home would be 3-level: main floor, basement, and loft. Multiple spheres could even be placed adjacently and connected together into a single interior space.

Might be an interesting idea for a cottage getaway from home.

 

[The Mark]

They look weird, but seem curiously interesting from a technical-functional point of view.
You could probably get good air circulation inside them, and they'd probably be more efficient for climate control (AC/heating). So lower utility bills, or even compatible with off-grid living.




I think the spherical home might be nicer if bottom half of sphere was buried in the ground, with top half protruding above ground like a 'dome home' (with a dome basement). Stairs down to basement would naturally follow inner contour of sphere. Might be easier to install such a home in place, by simply rolling it around. Roll it off back of truck and into a waiting hole in the ground. Fill in the hole around the lower half of sphere until it's packed snugly. Then you won't have to worry about your foundation settling. I'm imagining an ideal size for such a home would be 3-level: main floor, basement, and loft. Multiple spheres could even be placed adjacently and connected together into a single interior space.

Might be an interesting idea for a cottage getaway from home.

I have to imagine that spheres are harder to construct out of local materials and with local labor than the more traditional wood framed boxes that are common around here.

They are also less efficient use of space if you wanted to put them close together, like in cities.

However, for some applications it might be feasible, and I have to think they'd be less susceptible to damage from high winds, just based on the shape.

 

[sanman]

I have to imagine that spheres are harder to construct out of local materials and with local labor than the more traditional wood framed boxes that are common around here.

They are also less efficient use of space if you wanted to put them close together, like in cities.

However, for some applications it might be feasible, and I have to think they'd be less susceptible to damage from high winds, just based on the shape.

Yeah, so I was imagining the spherical homes as prefabs. They'd be manufactured at a factory, and then transported to local site on a truck.

I was also imagining them as rural cottages, not inside cities where space is tight. So they'd each have a bit of land around them.

I agree with you that they'd be ideal for windy places, particularly near ocean shores where winds can be high, and especially coastlines that are prone to hurricanes and tropical storms.

 

[sanman]

This one is kind of cute and weird-looking too:





From a functional standpoint, obviously it's not benefiting from ground insulation. Underneath seems to be sort of an open-air concept.

If it was just a rural cabin or guest house, at least the retractable stairs mean bears and other animals can't easily get in.
And those legs mean you could place it on uneven ground and level it up appropriately.

For off-grid, I'd probably want those geodesic panels to be solar, to supply power to the whole thing. Black geodesic solar panels would do it.

Could even be useful as an emergency cabin for wilderness hikers in remote areas.

 

[sanman]

Beach cabin concept works too - even against high tide - but you'd need some way to keep those legs from sinking into the sand.
Maybe sit it on top of cement slabs?

 

[Glitch]

They look weird, but seem curiously interesting from a technical-functional point of view.
You could probably get good air circulation inside them, and they'd probably be more efficient for climate control (AC/heating). So lower utility bills, or even compatible with off-grid living.




I think the spherical home might be nicer if bottom half of sphere was buried in the ground, with top half protruding above ground like a 'dome home' (with a dome basement). Stairs down to basement would naturally follow inner contour of sphere. Might be easier to install such a home in place, by simply rolling it around. Roll it off back of truck and into a waiting hole in the ground. Fill in the hole around the lower half of sphere until it's packed snugly. Then you won't have to worry about your foundation settling. I'm imagining an ideal size for such a home would be 3-level: main floor, basement, and loft. Multiple spheres could even be placed adjacently and connected together into a single interior space.

Might be an interesting idea for a cottage getaway from home.

The dome concept works in some geographical areas, but not others. Size is also an important factor. A smaller dome is more structurally sound than a larger dome.

The design of homes should fit the environment where they are constructed.

Homes in tropical or sub-tropical areas where it is hot, either wet or dry, would benefit from a dome type design. However, other areas where it is cold, either wet or dry, would not benefit from such a design.

There are domed structures in northern climes, but they are not very efficient and require more structure to hold together due to its retention of snow, than an angled roof would have on a boxed structure home. As the Cantwell Igloo Hotel can atest, they definitely build dome-type structures in northern climates. They just don't tend to fair very well.

Igloo City Hotel - Cantwell, Alaska (abandoned in 2016)

 

[Glitch]

This one is kind of cute and weird-looking too:





From a functional standpoint, obviously it's not benefiting from ground insulation. Underneath seems to be sort of an open-air concept.

If it was just a rural cabin or guest house, at least the retractable stairs mean bears and other animals can't easily get in.
And those legs mean you could place it on uneven ground and level it up appropriately.

For off-grid, I'd probably want those geodesic panels to be solar, to supply power to the whole thing. Black geodesic solar panels would do it.

Could even be useful as an emergency cabin for wilderness hikers in remote areas.

In a permafrost environment, such as Alaska, you build your home on pylons, above the ground. You do not want the heat from the home melting the permafrost under the home, so you raise the home above the ground. Otherwise you end up with a home that will eventually sink into the mud it created by warming the permafrost.

The trans-Alaska pipeline is built above ground for the same reason. Additionally, the stands that hold the pipeline up are designed to suck the heat out of the soil to keep it frozen.

It also makes sense to build elevated structures where water levels can vary.

The problem with domed structures in cold climates is heat retention. While it may be an ideal shape for distributing the heat evenly, all heat rises and is eventually lost through the ceiling. Unless you have high-powered fans at the top of the dome, there is no recirculating that heated air. They are no different from boxed structures in that regard. Domed structures are only better at heat distribution, not heat retention.

 

[sanman]

The dome concept works in some geographical areas, but not others. Size is also an important factor. A smaller dome is more structurally sound than a larger dome.

The design of homes should fit the environment where they are constructed.

Homes in tropical or sub-tropical areas where it is hot, either wet or dry, would benefit from a dome type design. However, other areas where it is cold, either wet or dry, would not benefit from such a design.

There are domed structures in northern climes, but they are not very efficient and require more structure to hold together due to its retention of snow, than an angled roof would have on a boxed structure home. As the Cantwell Igloo Hotel can atest, they definitely build dome-type structures in northern climates. They just don't tend to fair very well.

Igloo City Hotel - Cantwell, Alaska (abandoned in 2016)

In a permafrost environment, such as Alaska, you build your home on pylons, above the ground. You do not want the heat from the home melting the permafrost under the home, so you raise the home above the ground. Otherwise you end up with a home that will eventually sink into the mud it created by warming the permafrost.

The trans-Alaska pipeline is built above ground for the same reason. Additionally, the stands that hold the pipeline up are designed to suck the heat out of the soil to keep it frozen.

It also makes sense to build elevated structures where water levels can vary.

The problem with domed structures in cold climates is heat retention. While it may be an ideal shape for distributing the heat evenly, all heat rises and is eventually lost through the ceiling. Unless you have high-powered fans at the top of the dome, there is no recirculating that heated air. They are no different from boxed structures in that regard. Domed structures are only better at heat distribution, not heat retention.

Okay, good points.

I wonder what geometry works best for colder environments? There's a giant tent over the main mall-complex in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Maybe that's the best geometry for colder, snowy environments?

Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Glitch]

Okay, good points.

I wonder what geometry works best for colder environments? There's a giant tent over the main mall-complex in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Maybe that's the best geometry for colder, snowy environments?

Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There are two schools of thought.

1. Retain the snow for added insulation; or
2. Shed the snow.

The problem with retaining the snow is that it is very heavy, and it required additional structure to support that weight. The most common ratio is 6/12, or a 6" rise for a 12" run, for shedding moderate amounts of snow. If you live where you get heavier snow or lots of rain, then an 8/12 ratio would be more advisable. Another consideration is the cost of materials. A bigger ratio means more materials are required.

The ratio on my home is 6/12, and it does not shed much snow. I have extra support to hold the load, but even that caused my drywall to crack during the Winter of 2011-2012 when we got 133" of snow. Homes in Valdez, Alaska, where they average 326" (27.167 feet) annually need to have especially well-built roofs. I only average 76" of snow annually in my neck of the woods.

 

[PirateMk1]

I have to imagine that spheres are harder to construct out of local materials and with local labor than the more traditional wood framed boxes that are common around here.

They are also less efficient use of space if you wanted to put them close together, like in cities.

However, for some applications it might be feasible, and I have to think they'd be less susceptible to damage from high winds, just based on the shape.

Actually they are easy. Especially with concrete. They can use inflatable forms. Its pretty darn slick and a shell can be made in a couple of days.

'Inflatable' concrete homes are coming to the market thanks to this startup

A new solution to America’s multifaceted housing frustrations is blowing up in New York’s Hudson River Valley thanks to a startup called Automatic Construction. The company says it has invented a new technique named the Inflatable Flexible Factory Formwork (or IFFF), which, with the help of an...

archinect.com

There is a whole market segment now.

 

[The Mark]

Actually they are easy. Especially with concrete. They can use inflatable forms. Its pretty darn slick and a shell can be made in a couple of days.

'Inflatable' concrete homes are coming to the market thanks to this startup

A new solution to America’s multifaceted housing frustrations is blowing up in New York’s Hudson River Valley thanks to a startup called Automatic Construction. The company says it has invented a new technique named the Inflatable Flexible Factory Formwork (or IFFF), which, with the help of an...

archinect.com

There is a whole market segment now.

Hmm, hadn't considered the inflatable form as an option.
Interesting.

 

[Glitch]

Actually they are easy. Especially with concrete. They can use inflatable forms. Its pretty darn slick and a shell can be made in a couple of days.

'Inflatable' concrete homes are coming to the market thanks to this startup

A new solution to America’s multifaceted housing frustrations is blowing up in New York’s Hudson River Valley thanks to a startup called Automatic Construction. The company says it has invented a new technique named the Inflatable Flexible Factory Formwork (or IFFF), which, with the help of an...

archinect.com

There is a whole market segment now.

That method of construction may prove useful on the east coast, but not so much on the west coast.

The west coast tends to be earthquake prone and wooden-framed structures withstand earthquakes better than reinforced concrete structures. My home has experienced several large earthquakes (greater than magnitude 7.0), and one volcanic eruption, but the only damage my home has taken was from a record-breaking snowload in 2011-2012 that cracked my dry-wall.

Concrete, bricks, and other solid structure construction might be ideal for places like New York or Florida, where high winds are more of a concern than earthquakes, but not so much where the ground is much less stable in the western portion of the nation.