When we were kids, we made a papier-mâché on top of a balloon, and when the papier-mâché is dry, you can pop the balloon and have a hard shell. The same concept applies to the concrete dome home which is constructed on top of a inflated structure. Concrete is sprayed on the structure than rebar is added, and more concrete is sprayed and then you have a home there are a few famous architects who started this process. I first saw Wallace Neff who was inspired by by Dante Bini. I’m no expert in this design, yet it’s a home that I want to build for myself and to have as an AirBnB income property. Below are some videos and photos. Félix Candela has some spectacular concrete structures that are very organic they look like cloth lead over objects. I put a photo at the very bottom.
Bini type homes. A bit ugly to some, yet practical.
Actor Robert Downey Jr. has an amazing home, and one of the best in the world on the Bini type concept. Read more at https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/26/t-magazine/robert-downey-jr-malibu-home-binishell.html
Also Robert Downey Jr. Home.
Notice the rebar, metal to give internal strength.
There’s another technique I saw where the inflatable dome can be entered through a special door. Then, on the inside, they sprayed polystyrene foam on the dome, let it cure, and then they put rebar on the inside. Then they spray concrete on the rebar, until it covers the rebar and it’s about 3 inches three thick this way. There is a layer of insulation on the outside. This actually seems to be more work. I’m not sure that’s the path I want to go myself, I think it might be better to do concrete on the outside and spray the polyurethane foam on the inside, if you find that you need insulation to help with thermal qualities.
Félix Candela was born in Madrid, Spain in 1910.
I searched google on concrete dome home from inflatable structure 1960, enjoy. your rabbit hole.
Published March 2024.