We designed the house for Monique with her specific needs, as a mother of two young girls, in mind. Then interior diameter of the main space is 18.5 feet with a 9.25 ft radius and scalloped partial circles that extend to an 11.25 ft interior radius (see above photo of foundation layout). Also there is a conical back room that has a 5ft radius that will abut the main structure and stand at 8ft plus a wood and metal roof. The main living space is entered from a north facing door way. Since the back of the dome is cut into the hillside there are three windows on the front placed at three feet above ground level and there are ten smaller windows placed higher on the dome with several on the back to catch a lot of light in both winter and summer.

Bisecting the main space there is a swooping wall which extends from the curve of a scallop and stands at 8ft. This stepped wall serves several functions: it forms a staircase that leads to a lofted space, it forms a privacy screen for the back room, and it acts as an internal buttress which will strengthen the the whole structure. We are excited about potential of the loft wall since it will create more vertical space and it should also reduce some of the echo acoustics of a dome space that are not preferable for living quarters.

While there are some built-in wooden counter tops in a few of the scallops, we did not decide to design a kitchen area in the house; because of the climate in Haiti and the prevalent cooking method, a three rock fire fueled with charcoal, most of the cooking is done outside. We are however looking to the possibility of using this opportunity to introduce some type of highly efficient rocket stove to the village.

In four days we managed to get the foundation dug out, built three courses to ground level, and back fill the foundation. We hope to progress now by completing four courses a day, with each course being approximately 7 inches tall, and to get to our finish height of 20 feet in nine days.

—KT