Photos: A hurricane-proof dome home?

The roof and the walls are all of a piece in this Florida house. Don't look for a lot of window boxes, though.

By Bill Detwiler, Editor in Chief, TechRepublic on July 19, 2006

1 of 2 Bill Detwiler/ZDNet

Dome home - exterior

With the official start of the hurricane season just two weeks away, a company called Dome Technology is touting its semispherical designs as the way to avoid the ravages of high-speed winds. Homeowners who put their faith in the structural efficiency of the dome shape would do Buckminster Fuller proud.

In this West Palm Beach, Fla., property, several domes are stitched together to form a single residence. The domes themselves are formed out of reinforced concrete.

2 of 2 Bill Detwiler/ZDNet

Dome home - interior

The interior of the West Palm Beach home has an airy feel but little exposure to the outside world. Bearing walls and columns are not required in domes, the company says. Dome Technology's structures are more commonly used in industrial, institutional and commercial settings.

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