Creating a Geodesic dome structure.
Task were to make a 5mt (16ft) diameter structure with weatherproof cover for holiday rentals (glamping). Structure were to be set up on the platform on the windy hillside overlooking Rossendale valley in UK. Following architect’s Buckminster Fuller advice for using geodesic dome structures in harsh weather conditions: winds, rain and snow; I decided to make this structure instead of yurt or bell tent, as it was in the area exposed to high winds.
Structure was made from scratch using geometrical formula to work out length of poles which would for a 2V geodome. Material: galvanised steel piping, which had to be cut to exact size and each end had to be squashed flat by hand in the vise, it was done about 130 times for each end of the pole. Drilled holes in each end created a possibility to assemble structure with bolts. Hardest part was to design a door-way, it had to be large to frame the view over hills and hold rest of the structure in place without upsetting the geometrical ratio so it stays rounded.
Sewing cover
To sew cover for this large geodesic structure was a challenge in many ways and turned out to be using sewing machine’s and my physical power to the limit. It was a great challenge because I wanted to make whole cover as one piece, so wind wouldn’t have a lose corners to get under and potentially blow the whole structure away as a kite. There were 28 triangular shapes to be sewn together, hight along the outer wall making about 4mt and perimeter of the lower circle was 15.5mt. Bare in mind there was more then dozen times fabric had to pulled over whole structure to be fitted for accuracy. There was many times I had to make adjustments as fabric needed to be snug around structure so in the rain or snow there wound’t be water pooling, that could happen if fabric is left loose and sinking in. Also was a test to make zip up doorway doorway which would be possible to open all up so it wouldn’t abstracted the view framed by 1.5mt by 2.5mt door frame.
