Geodesic Dome Design
2 week design project
Brand final logo design:
Development:
In gathering research I looked at the construction of geodesic domes, focusing on the Eden Project and the Montreal Biosphere.
I found out that the Eden Project's domes have two layers of thermoplastic ETFE separated by a layer of air that can be increased or reduced to alter the building's insulation.
I found out that the Eden Project's domes have two layers of thermoplastic ETFE separated by a layer of air that can be increased or reduced to alter the building's insulation.
The Biosphere and the Eden Project also have similarities like how they are both use steel rods for their frame which, after considering alternatives I decided that steel would be the best choice of material for its superior strength and its ability to be recycled.
Initially, I wanted to comprise my geodesic dome from hexagons, using biomimicry of beehives made entirely of hexagons. However, in my research I found that I would need to reinforce a structure made of hexagons as attempts I looked at were not able to hold their weight.
Considering I was looking at having my dome solve the problem of earthquake-proof homes in less developed or developing countries, I would need my structure to be as secure as possible. For this reason, I decided to design my domes out of triangles instead.
I modelled my domes in Blender which I had never used before but fortunately got used to quickly. I was able to mockup my designs much more accurately with Blender than I would've otherwise. I even used it to consider what the floor plans of a building like this would look like, finding an optimum height for the floors of the dome (the first floor should be lower to account for the domed roof, allowing for more walkable space on the second/top floor). If I were continuing the design I would focus on the interior as well as what the plumbing and electricals might look like for the building.
Some improvements that I could’ve made to my process for this project would be to have found some primary research (I would have liked to go to the Eden Project to look at the exact construction of the domes, but this wasn’t possible), and in knowing more about Blender than I did at the time I realize how I could’ve made my models better (perhaps also through placing them in my decided location (Istanbul Turkey) to further realize what my design might look like).
Initially, I wanted to comprise my geodesic dome from hexagons, using biomimicry of beehives made entirely of hexagons. However, in my research I found that I would need to reinforce a structure made of hexagons as attempts I looked at were not able to hold their weight.
Considering I was looking at having my dome solve the problem of earthquake-proof homes in less developed or developing countries, I would need my structure to be as secure as possible. For this reason, I decided to design my domes out of triangles instead.
I modelled my domes in Blender which I had never used before but fortunately got used to quickly. I was able to mockup my designs much more accurately with Blender than I would've otherwise. I even used it to consider what the floor plans of a building like this would look like, finding an optimum height for the floors of the dome (the first floor should be lower to account for the domed roof, allowing for more walkable space on the second/top floor). If I were continuing the design I would focus on the interior as well as what the plumbing and electricals might look like for the building.
Some improvements that I could’ve made to my process for this project would be to have found some primary research (I would have liked to go to the Eden Project to look at the exact construction of the domes, but this wasn’t possible), and in knowing more about Blender than I did at the time I realize how I could’ve made my models better (perhaps also through placing them in my decided location (Istanbul Turkey) to further realize what my design might look like).
Final render:
