Domes

Architects Seek Funding for Namibia Sandbag Igloos

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“Are sandbag igloos the key to solving housing problems in dry regions? Architects Nicola Du Pisanie of Stonewood Design and Ross McDonald of Alison Brooks Architects discuss a proposed project to build sandbag, or super adobe, igloo homes in the Namibian desert during a London Festival of Architecture talk at the Building Centre in London.” … Read more

Mindfulness Project Dome: Just a Short Ways to Go

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The Mindfulness Project meditation dome (a test structure for their planned sustainable community) is nearly finished.
The Mindfulness Project meditation dome (a test structure for their planned sustainable community) is nearly finished.

We have been working hard the last days. Earthbag building is anything far from easy. But it is an incredible learning experience. Our teacher told us yesterday: “Problems make you learn! When something is easy, you just go to bed very satisfied, no problem. But when the problems occur you really need to find a solution. So you start searching, go to the internet, ask experts. After that you know a lot more, which you would not know, if the problem did not occur. Problems make you more knowledgeable.”

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Florida Dome Home Blog

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Florida earthbag dome home
Florida earthbag dome home

Mike Creedy, owner-builder of the earthbag dome home in Live Oak, Florida, has started a blog to help spread the word about natural building and to help attract volunteers. Contact Mike if you’re interested in helping out. He’s going to document the building process. The costs below show what he’s spent so far.

Costs
The property is serviced. Water well, power and septic. If you are able to, put your own septic in and all the trenching for the electric utility company if you have to use one.

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$3,000 Earthbag Dome

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$3,000 Earthbag Dome built by the US military
$3,000 Earthbag Dome built by the US military

“Amid the stony, unforgiving terrain of Djibouti, U.S. service members have been working with villagers of the Tadjourah region to build a “beacon for the community to rally around.” And the way they did it is pretty remarkable, as you can see in the slideshow linked below.

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How to Build a Low Cost Earthbag Tornado Shelter

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Save thousands of dollars by building your own earthbag dome tornado shelter. (See link below for free plans.)
Save thousands of dollars by building your own earthbag dome tornado shelter. (See link below for free plans.)

Designing an earthbag tornado shelter has been on my to-do list for years. My intent was to modify my free plans at Instructables.com (see below). Yesterday I can came across the following article at Yahoo and found out concrete tornado shelters are costing thousands of dollars. So I decided to write this blog post to summarize how to make your own storm shelter out of earthbags (sand bags), local soil, gravel, barbed wire and plaster. The dome shown above cost about $300 a few years ago. A smaller dome used only for emergencies could probably be built for half that cost if you eliminate the buttresses, the living roof (earth and plants on top) and are clever in making a door out of salvaged materials.

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