The one-piece rounded, steel-reinforced block of concrete that forms the hull of their home is called a monolithic dome. When the Hermeses built one in 1980 on a hillside on their rural Salina ...

It will take a lot of iron chains and money to keep your heavy concrete dome from collapsing. Besides, there's an easier -- and less risky -- way to build a dome this tall today. Try again!

He adds that the eco-domes are much faster to build than ... many people have a mentality of wanting homes made of concrete, which they believe are more modern and robust,” he says.

Carving holes is a great way to lighten a dome -- but the governor won't be happy with your design. Around 500 A.D., ancient engineers realized that a dome could be made of a circular ring of ...

Photo: Nicola Holland The home’s aircrete brick walls have been reinforced ... particularly how to eliminate annoying crazing (fine cracks in the concrete) that has haunted dome builders for years. It ...