Artist’s Studio House, Slovakia

The model shown is of an icosahedron dome, it has been designed for the workshop of an optical glass maker in Slovakia, EU. Our clients brief comprised a completely energy self-sufficient building, hidden in the hill to keep the harmony of the natural location. His choice was a secluded location in the hills nearby Bratislava.

It was Buckminster Fuller who has been credited with inventing the geodetic dome in the late 1940s, to demonstrate an idea about 'energetic-synergetic geometry. However some claim that Walter Bauersfeld invented it in 1922, but we will let the historians debate that one.Today there are about 50.000 domes built all over the world, but this will be the first one of its size and type in Europe.

A geo-dome is a structure comprised of a network of triangles that form a roughly spherical surface. To keep the production / execution of this concrete dome simple, we will use just 2 types of triangles. Why choose the shape of the dome and why build it in concrete? It is extremely strong and earthquake proof, uses one-third less material compared to traditional building techniques with an energy saving of 30-50%, has flexible design possibilities and creates beautiful free space.

The interior of this dome will demonstrate the extraordinary possibilities of glass use in architecture.

Design: 2009