Re: design goals (was: Hello)

[Charles J Knight <c dot knight at juno dot com>]

> > At the moment, it involves measuring, calculating angles, almost
> > literally creating a new type of architecture.  Take away that 
> difficulty
> > and I think there would be a dome renaissance.
> 
> You took the words right out of my ... er... keyboard.
> 
> Thank you, Chuck, for stating that so clearly.

Well, just compare it to the ease with which we can build
a highly standardized stick-framed wall.

Buy some 8 foot 2x4 lumber, and some stud length 2x4s.

Lay down an 8 foot board as a footer, lay the studs at
right angles, nail them into the footer.  Top it off with a
header, nail it all together, and stand the wall vertically.

The sheetrock is sized for this construction, too, so just
take 2 sheets of 4x8 sheetrock, nail/screw them on, and
you have a finished wall.  No cutting, no fitting, and hardly
any finish work.  A very elegant, if not overly sophisticated
system.

By comparison, WE have to pull out the calculators, 
multiply by chord factors, cut (wastefully for many sizes)
boards to length, figure out a way to join them at the
"corners," etc.

Next we have to fugure out a way to finish the walls,
since sheetrock is a real pain, and the outside must be 
sheathed and made watertight...not the simplest 
proposition using traditional materials.  (I know about
elastomers and peel-n-stick roofing)

It's not worth it!  Domes are too hard to build, for
the average person.

Given this, I think a connector system that would allow
the use of plywood panels might be a good solution.
Sell them with plans for a dome, that make good use of
a 4x8 sheet of plywood.  (Simpsons sells "dutch dormer"
garden shed connectors and plans using this model)

After all, most people just want a place to store their
lawnmower (garden shed?), and don't care about making
an architectural statement.

     -- Chuck Knight
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