Disaster Resistant Catenary Dome (click to enlarge)
Specifications: 314 sq. ft. interior, 181 sq. ft. interior loft, total = 495 sq. ft. interior, Footprint: 23’ diameter
Description: Catenary arches and domes are among the strongest forms in nature. This catenary dome is designed to withstand repeat hurricanes and other natural disasters. It is similar in construction to the Hemispheric Dome, but the Catenary Dome has a sleeping loft. Tilt-down stairs are shown, although you could make a single bathroom door and add a ladder to one side. This would give you more space in the loft.
Disaster Resistant Catenary Dome (click to enlarge)
More information is on our Earthbag Building Blog.
Earthbag House Plans 
I’m sold. Any information on heating/insulation, building in northern climates and snow loads?
No problems with snow loads. This is an incredibly strong building! Research catenary domes, and then factor in double ferrocement shells topped off with geopolymer.
Use insulating fill material between the ferrocement shells:
1. loose fill insulation such as scoria, pumice, perlite (where insulation value is more important than disaster resistance)
2. perlite cement, porous cement, cellular cement with foam, etc. (where greater strength is required)
How much does this cost?
Costs of materials vary considerably from place to place, so you’ll have to do a cost estimate based on cost of local materials and labor. For instance, bare bones cost in a developing country would be around $5,000. In the US it could cost $100,000-$200,000 due to all the crazy codes, fees and higher prices.
Hello, i live in the caribean coast in Mexico. I want to build òn the beach with this technique. As we got a big huracane in 2007 (Dean), i could see that waves destroy buildings by moving away sand from around and under the fundations. Which kind of fundations and size would you recommand? Here, we can barely build the way we want to.
Thank you…
PD: Any way to work with or for builders without borders?
I like gravel-bag foundations. Search our Earthbag Building Blog for details.
We have lots of disaster resistant building details on our sites. Search our blog, EarthbagBuilding.com (Testing, etc.) and EarthbagStructures.com. Earthbag has passed a wind tunnel test and two seismic tests.
BWB is an educational organization. They provide educational materials, help steer a few chosen projects, etc. This probably won’t work for you.
Hi Owen, i just got the DVD and started watching it. I wonder if we can use all soil from the bottom up instead of putting some gravels for the foundation. is this okay? would the foundation still be strong even if it is not gravel?
You could use lime or cement stabilized soil on lower courses, although I think gravel in double bags is best. An engineer in Florida — Gary J. Gill at GTC Design Group http://www.gtcdesigngroup.com/contact_us.php — just got permit approval for an earthbag dome in Florida. His drawings show gravel-filled bags. Story coming soon to our Natural Building Blog (formerly called Earthbag Building Blog). http://naturalbuildingblog.com/
Would this design be tornado proof? In other words, do the arched awnings over the many windows changed the tornado wind factors that blow and/or suck windows out?
Add strong shutters and you should be fine.
Hi Owen,
Is the Catenary Dome designed to be built with earthbags or is it geodesic? Are the Catenary Dome plans available for purchase? Also, are the plans for the insulated mindfulness project dome available for purchase? Thank you!
Yes, the Catenary Dome is complete and for sale through Dream Green Homes.com for $300. They only list the most popular plans and so what you have to do is order any other $300 plan and leave a message in the Comments requesting the Catenary Dome and I’ll make sure you get the right plans.
The Catenary Dome uses earthbags up to the 2nd story windows. Make rebar arches over the top and fill in with insulation and ferrocement.
Not sure what happened to the Mindfulness project. They’ve dropped out of touch. The plans became quite complex and I think it was too overwhelming for them to figure out without a professional construction supervisor.