From Jackie Craven,
Your Guide to Architecture.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Definition:
Conceived by R. Buckminster Fuller ("Bucky"), a geodesic dome is a sphere-like structure composed of a complex network of triangles. The triangles create a self-bracing framework that gives structural strength while using a minimum of material. The term geodesic is from Latin, meaning earth dividing. A geodesic line is the shortest distance between any two points on a sphere.

Geodesic domes are efficient, inexpensive, and durable. For $350, an African family can be housed in a corrugated metal dome. Plastic and fiberglass domes used for sensitive radar equipment in Arctic regions and for weather stations around the world. Geodesic domes are also used for emergency shelter and mobile military housing.

See patent drawings for the geodesic dome:

• Geodesic Dome Patent 2,682,235 Drawing
• Geodesic Dome Patent 3197927 Drawing 1
• Geodesic Dome Patent 3197927 Drawing 2
• Geodesic Dome Patent 3197927 Drawing 3