Earthbag Peace Dome (click to enlarge)
Specifications: 19’ interior diameter, 283 sq. ft. interior main floor, 169 sq. ft. (16’ diameter) bedroom loft, total = 452 sq. ft. interior, 1 bath, Footprint: 22′ diameter
Description: How do you bring about the change you want to see? Live in harmony with earth and contribute to world peace.
Here is a simple dome anyone can build. This single dome contains all of the necessities for habitation. In addition to the basics, you could incorporate solar hot water, greywater recycling, composting toilet (shown, although a flush toilet can be used) to further reduce your ecological footprint. There are hot/cold, wet/dry climate design options available.
Earthbag Peace Dome (click to enlarge)
Peace Dome with optional thatched roof (click to enlarge)
Earthbag House Plans 
I noticed on one of your other sites that this plan is available in larger sizes. I’m just wondering what those sizes are, and if it the loft could be made big enough to divide into two separate and comfortable sleeping areas. Thanks!
You could scale it a little, but not much. And certainly not enough to create 2 rooms in the loft.
Instead of thatch you could use wood shakes, shingles cut from recycled metal, etc.
Just joshing in my last post there. But it seems a lot of smaller designs lack a bath or shower. Would you do a custom one for the odd shapes of domes?
There is a shower in the bathroom. It’s probably not apparent, but this is how people in Asia shower in tiny spaces. They use a wall mounted on-demand water heater. The floor is lower than the main floor and slopes to a drain.
Every design has a bath and shower except 1-2. Custom sizes are available at a reasonable cost. All plans are available through Dream Green Homes: http://www.dreamgreenhomes.com/materials/earth/earthbags.htm
Howdy Owen 🙂
This looks like a nice starter dome 🙂 I’d like to build one
Regarding using an insulating material for an earthbag home in Maine – I wonder if one of the insulators you mentioned could be mixed with earth ? Like 50% rice hull, 40% earth, 10% cement – or something like that ?
I tell ya one of these days I will build a house you’ve designed ! I really dig them 🙂
What you’re describing is possible, but the level of insulation is inadequate for Maine. You want at least 2″ of insulation (high R-value insulation such as perlite) on the exterior. Even better is to build with bags of scoria, etc. so the whole wall is insulating. See Kelly Hart’s house in Colorado: http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/projects/hart.htm
My Instructable describes several good ways to build insulated earthbag houses: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-an-Insulated-Earthbag-House/
Thanks Owen 🙂
Keep it going 🙂
Hey it’s Craig from Maine again.
We’ll I’ve been determined to build one of your genius designs. My pal has land in New Mexico (Rio Rancho) and I’m going to buy some. So here I am back browsing your designs.
I like this one, I have an idea like a “dome train”, we build one with a big door on the side, then later remove that door and build another, it connects where that door was, and later another, and so on … Like a train !
What do you think of that idea ? At first my daughter and I share a space, then with the 2nd dome she has her own, then the third is my workshop, then the 4th is for guests, and so on …
Do you like that idea ? I can add to the train as time and money become available.
Cheers!
Craig
That’s a good idea. I’ve been recommending building in stages as you can afford it for a long time: http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/three-roundhouses-design/
You’ll want to detail the door so it’s easy to add on to. The area around the door will be a small vault with the outer edge vertical.
Add other doors, of course. The design already takes this into consideration. The best places for new doors are at the base of the ladder and the window next to the wood stove. You’d have to redo the layout if you want to build the domes in a straight line. Actually, I would prefer to build them in an arc to create a protected courtyard.
Yes indeed 🙂 I bet the land lot will be a rectangle, so an arc shaped “train” is a good idea.
I look forward to paying you to draft it 🙂
I have to work hard to pay for the land first LOL
Have fun!
Craig
It costs $200. You can order the plan here: http://www.dreamgreenhomes.com/materials/earth/earthbags.htm
You don’t necessarily need me to draw a custom plan. You could buy the stock plan and just put them together.
Thank you for all you do – people of modest budget can only make strides with the help of kind gurus 🙂
That looks very buildable and very livable. Which version would you recommend for northeastern Nevada (8-9″ rain per year, high elevation, c-c-cold winters)?
I would use scoria (lava rock) in the bags and build a roof to help shed water. Our Projects pages show various roof options: http://earthbagbuilding.com/projects/projects.htm
Our Natural Building Blog and Earthbag Building.com both have lots of free info about building with bags of scoria.
Thank you. One more question and I’ll leave you alone until I’m ready to buy plans: does the loft play any structural role, or could it safely be omitted by a single householder (substituting a daybed for the bench)?
The loft adds a great deal of strength similar to a bond beam by tying everything together. It also creates a platform to stand on to finish the upper walls. The loft is open in the front (see dashed line) to improve ventilation and create a sense of more spaciousness.
How nice is that !? I was a 2pc claytile roofing installer for 27 yrs & i really think you could install pans &crowns in a circumfrance to a sistern on the top dome..& not only appear unique but water proof