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- Basic Structure
The core structure of the domes will be created from PVC pipe, I've selected this material for a few reasons.
Firstly, it's readily available, although the specific sizes may differ from what is currently manufactured, the process and infrastructure for manufacturing this product is already set up.
Although it is not what I consider to be a sustainable building material It is less energy intensive to create and manipulate than that of steel or most other traditional building materials that could be suitable for this application. The tubes can be extruded and cut to length prior to construction, they shall be joined using PVC connectors in the same way you would plumbing
Ideally I would love to build this thing out of wood but due to other functions that I would like to incorporate a few other features such as pneumatic insulation control, which I shall discuss next. In order to move the insulation freely around the structure its best if the supports were hollow, so wood is off limits.
The main PVC structure will be somewhat protected from the elements and UV damage by the outer skin, but as it is a structural component the PVC will need to be UV stable and resistant to the brittling damage the sun can cause. Either an additive to the production process (ideally) or the completed structure painted or rendered (or both).
- Pneumatic Dynamic Insulation
A little while ago I was browsing a book store in West End and I came across a solar architecture book, I really should have bought it at the time but didn't. Anyway in it a system was described where the windows of a building were double glazed with a cavity between them of maybe 100mm or more. This cavity allowed a vacuum system to pump it full of polystyrene balls (bean bag balls) at night to insulate it, then during the day when the window was needed for light the same system would extract and store the balls.
I would like to propose a similar system for this project. The panels of the domes are to be hollow and able to be independently filled or emptied with polystyrene insulation to block thermal transfer and light transfer.
This system could completely insulated the dome during colder winter nights and allow the sun to penetrate during the day, as well as offer the reverse in summer. This idea coupled with the user adapted spaces, would allow the users to dynamically control where is shaded and where receives sun & light.
- Openable Membrane
Of course this insulation alone is not enough to adequately control the climate of the space, ventilation is required. To achieve this is quite difficult, the panels at the top where the hot air congregates are unable to be waterproofed effectively enough to allow it to move. So the lower panels shall be made able to pivot open to allow cross-breezes where required.
The very top centre panel shall be able to be raised open to allow hot air to escape when required and the weather allows.
- Control System
With all these dynamic components there needs to be some sort of control system in place to facilitate the harmonious operations of all these systems. Naturally a computer system would control everything but there would be some specifics and key components that require clarification.
As mentioned above users can designate spaces to be kept in full sun or shade
Sources: [Original Works]
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