METAMORPHOSIS: Building the Dome of a Home

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The SEAPILE piling is placed into the ground by conventional methods. Davis Marine Construction jetted the sixteen pilings several feet into the ground and drove the pilings to grade level outlining the perimeter for the future dome structure. After the pilings were placed in an oval shape, a concrete ring beam was created. Steel rebar is placed vertically around the ring beam footing and then the concrete is poured. Later in the process, the embedded bars are used to join the concrete shell with the concrete ring beam. Without a doubt, choosing Seaward's composite pilings was a genius move on my husband's part. When Hurricane Ivan hit, our yard became a virtual quicksand pit. The entire house was gently rocking, as evidenced by the tapping of pictures on my interior walls. Instead of cracking or splitting like concrete or wood pilings might have done, the composite pilings easily handled the stress and dispersed it. INVISIBLE SEA WALLS BALLOON The Monolithic Dome Institute, ( www.monolithicdome.com ) fabricated the airform that became our home's shell or frame. The Airframe is made of a very heavy PVC vinyl fabric whose seams are sealed with microwaves. After being attached to the ring beam, the fans inflate the airform in less than thirty minutes. The fans must run continually throughout the construction of the shell of the dome. If the fans fail, the entire structure can collapse in a mere seven minutes. The balloon was inflated on April 30, 2002. In those twenty minutes, the beach's landscape was irrevocably changed. How often is a home framed in a matter of minutes? Our joy expanded in proportion to the dome‟s inflation. This was the day we had been waiting for – building could truly begin now. Being inside the inflated airform is somewhat overwhelming. The expansiveness is belied by the exterior appearance. 59
Once inside the inflated airform, the world becomes surreal. Sounds echo and reverberate. Listening to music in the empty airform is a unique experience as it surrounds and reverberates through you. Pink Floyd was our favorite choice of music to enjoy. In some parts of the dome, a whisper is easily heard. In other areas, raised voices barely carry. 60
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Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ..
Page 4 and 5:
Our mission is to help reduce the s
Page 6 and 7:
2 HURRICANE IVAN Surviving the Stor
Page 8 and 9:
Fortunately, before I had left for
Page 10 and 11: ack on the island in our homes; end
Page 12 and 13: for the entire house, so we all sta
Page 14 and 15: They slept in the parking lot of th
Page 16 and 17: esistant than its conventional neig
Page 18 and 19: 3 Mother Nature's Influence in My L
Page 20 and 21: The winds spawned an F-1 tornado th
Page 22 and 23: Two hours before the intense impact
Page 24 and 25: The kitchen trash. 4 HUMBLE BEGINNI
Page 26 and 27: The cost of submitting the applicat
Page 28 and 29: equired building codes for the coas
Page 30 and 31: 6 METAMORPHOSIS The Dome Home would
Page 32 and 33: In utter shock, I stopped my sobbin
Page 34 and 35: 7 SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN The
Page 36 and 37: I compiled our wish list into a sev
Page 38 and 39: VALERIE A Tribute to our Friend Jon
Page 40 and 41: asked him to split his energy betwe
Page 42 and 43: dangerous boats of debris. Not a si
Page 44 and 45: 10 TO HURRICANE HELL AND BACK THE U
Page 46 and 47: arrange for transportation to the n
Page 48 and 49: SURVIVOR OR VICTIM As Katrina looms
Page 50 and 51: trenches helping in innumerable way
Page 52 and 53: I have learned to be mostly unattac
Page 54 and 55: As I edit this book, I find there i
Page 56 and 57: Although our counties are now suppo
Page 58 and 59: Even with all of the heartache, tea
Page 62 and 63: The balloon created quite a stir on
Page 64 and 65: that hold the balloons‟ pieces to
Page 66 and 67: FLEX-C TRAC, solved our dilemma and
Page 68 and 69: PRODUCTS SELECTED FOR THE COASTAL E
Page 70 and 71: DENSGLASS GOLD® EXTERIOR GUARD Den
Page 72 and 73: With its double pane, glass block i
Page 74 and 75: Another significant advantage of ea
Page 76 and 77: We used foam insulation throughout
Page 78 and 79: frustrated with my family, I rememb
Page 80 and 81: usiness to be managed." Never have
Page 82 and 83: Architecture Magazine: Dome Home Su
Page 84 and 85: 14 THE THUNDER ROLLS The thunder ro
Page 86: The Skybird Lodge would address the
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METAMORPHOSIS: Building the Dome of a Home

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