Specifications: 20’ interior DIA main dome = 314 sq. ft., 16’ interior DIA bedroom = 201 sq. ft., 44 sq. ft. bath, plus 223 sq. ft. loft space, total = 782 sq. ft., Footprint: 23′ x 42′ plus buttresses
Description: An ideal starter home, this plan is easy to extend or even create large dome clusters. Compact, but highly livable, the Enviro Dome has everything you need. Two lofts add 235 sq. ft. extra space for sleeping, home office, living or storage. Additional storage options include space inside benches, a cedar chest at the foot of the bed, and an armoire north of the bed. A larger dome behind the bedroom could include a walk-in closet, larger bath and laundry. The Enviro Dome is perfect for the beginner do-it-yourselfer who wants to build their eco-friendly home at the lowest possible cost.
I really like your Enviro Earthbag Dome.
I would make a couple small changes–first, I’d exchange places between the sink and the cooktop. That would make plumbing simpler (the sink would be on the wet wall); the process of moving food from refrigerator to sink to stove would flow better; it would make serving food from cooktop to table simpler–especially when there might be two or more people living there, they wouldn’t tend to fall over each other in the process of serving meals.
I am not sure an armoire would fit well as suggested North of the bed–there does not appear to be sufficient clearance there, especially with the loft ladder in that position. Thus, I’d consider a wardrobe where the bench is shown across from the bed, giving space for hanging clothing. I’d also think about putting the loft across the full bedroom dome, with the ladder just to the entry rather than in the middle of the floor–assuming there is adequate headroom in that location. Otherwise, I’d rotate the ladder position inward a bit from that position–about where the corner of the bench is shown now. That would involve some calculation about the rooflines involved, but should be workable.
For residents who are able-bodied, I would consider putting the bed on the upper level and making the ground level a study or home office, but probably with some sort of convertible bed or Murphy bed for guests as well as for periods when illness or accident may make accessing the upstairs loft area more difficult.
Another option, with a full-sized loft in that position, might be to put a folding ladder just outside the existing bedroom entrance door, accessible from the main room and not necessarily from the bedroom at all.
If the clearances work, too, I’d try to use an alternating tread or “Jefferson” stair rather than a ladder for more convenient loft access. That could likely be done in the main room by making a bit of a cut-out in the loft floor at the current ladder position, so the stair would have a small bit of extra run in that position.
The kitchen is a bit of a trade off. The standard kitchen triangle is as you describe. However, it’s also true that most cooks don’t want a sink facing a wall, especially when their back is to the main area. So this is something each person has to decide for themselves.
The bedroom bench serves as buttressing, although it’s not 100% required and could be omitted if the owner wants additional space for furniture.
It’s best to have the bedroom stairs as shown due to the dome curving in on top. A full-sized loft is possible, although building it as shown creates a more spacious feeling below. So this is another owner preference issue.
The loft is pretty small when you view it in section. It’s okay for a small home office, but not quite large enough for a bedroom.
You can watch the Enviro Dome fly-through: http://www.youtube.com/user/naturalhouses#p/a/u/0/yynPV-69WhM
While traditionally it is true that people have become accustomed to a window or a view from the sink, they actually spend more time at a cooktop. In addition, when entertaining or when the home is shared by two (or more) people, having the cooktop on the counter facing the dining/living area permits the cook to converse easily with others rather than having their backs to them. As you say, it is a trade-off…however, the alternative plan is easier and cheaper to build while promoting a much better workflow. It would also be relatively simple to put in a window near enough the sink if on the back wall for a view, I believe…much as you show a window in the bathroom (although I might opt for a small skylight there if privacy is necessary).
As for a loft bedroom–it would seem to be fairly simple to make it similar to the loft bedrooms in many of the trailer-borne “tiny houses”–where the mattress is directly on the floor and relatively little headroom is necessary. Using a loft as an office at home, by contrast, would seem to be unnecessarily complex–especially if it is for a work-at-home situation. Carrying any paperwork up and down a ladder, going back and forth for preparing a meal, to answer the door, or a myriad of other things that happen during the day would seem to me to make the upper bedroom location more logical. Other than the occasional visit to the bathroom, as a rule once you go to sleep you aren’t moving so much back and forth as people tend to do when using a study or home office during the day.
I do like the plan, though, and the changes I propose would be relatively simple to do unless a second-level passageway were desired between loft areas.
Good comments, thank you. Some people may opt to use these ideas and so I’ll include them here. Many clients end up customizing the basic plan to suit their needs and these ideas are worth considering. In the end, a lot depends on personal preference, type of home business, how often you entertain, and so on.
For someone who anticipates changing living space requirements due to a growing family, how feasible is it to build this sort of structure in a modular fashion? In other words, are there issues preventing one from building the smaller two-dome model, and then adding the optional third dome and second bath several years down the line?
You can add on later. It’s best to have a good plan that anticipates where doors and windows should go.