The company Biodomes of Romania recently unveiled their lineup of dome homes, which can function completely independently of the grid, and can withstand high winds and severe earthquakes. There are many possible uses for these domes, such as serving as a full time home, cabin, greenhouse, garden shed, guesthouse and more.
The Biodomes are built out of metal and single, double, or triple-glazed glass. They offer a turnkey option that comes pre-installed with all that’s needed for comfortable living, while, on the other end of the extreme, they can also supply just the shell of the dome, with which the customer can then do as they wish.
The only version of the Biodome that they’ve built so far is the so-called Pollux model. It measures just 204 sq ft (19 sq m), though the company says they can build them as large as 3,379 sq ft (314 sq m). To create a full time living solution one of the larger domes can either be partitioned into different rooms, or one can install several smaller domes and link them via tunnels. It is also possible to build these domes on top of a stone wall, which is useful for gaining more usable height. They do require a foundation and cannot be moved easily once installed. According to the company, the homes can withstand earthquakes up to 8.5 on the Richter scale and winds blowing up to 198 mph (320 km/h).
The basic version must be hooked up to the grid, but they offer a variety of optional off-grid addons, such as custom made triangular solar panels and solar hot water heaters. Magnetic blinds can also be installed to offer more privacy and shield the interior from the sun, while the domes can also be partly buried to create a thermally efficient earth-sheltered home. The prices for the domes start at $1060 per 10 sq ft (€1,000 per sq m).
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