Replies

1. 
   Huck | Nov 01, 2006 05:40pm | #1

   That is so cool!  How about some more pics, and a floor plan!  Maybe a little explanation - for those of us not so familiar with with your "same ol' stuff"!

   "...never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too" - Mark Twain

1. 
   CloudHidden | Nov 01, 2006 06:32pm | #2

   I can talk generically about the method of construction, but not much more about this house itself. The owner is verrrrrry private, and it took about a year to get even these pictures. The builder is Mark Foote, along with Mert Hull, both out of Colorado Springs. They've built several of my designs prior. Awesome guys. The workmanship of the kitchen and the detailing on the garage speaks for itself. I just love the way these guys turn lines on a piece of paper into reality.This is thin shell concrete, air formed construction. A form in the shape of the structures you see is made from a cross-linked polyethylene sheet. I design the house and calculate the gore patterns (wedge shaped sections) that are cut from the plastic and taped together to form the oblate spheroid shape. The air form is attached to the ground via a 1/4" plywood band (just to hold the plastic to the right shape at the base), and inflated with low air pressure. The workers enter the structure through an airlock. They start with 3" of sprayed polyurethane foam. For those who have seen this on a stud house, you know that overspray eventually gets trimmed to stud depth. Well, imagine having to spray it onto a curved surface and getting a perfectly smooth result with no trimming and no bumps, humps, or ridges. These guys spray it to a consistent depth and a texture of the skin of an orange with no variations. They're that good.A custom wire rebar hanger is placed 1 per each 1 or 2 sf. A half inch of concrete locks that to the foam. Rebar is tied in horizontal and vertical bands at approx 12" intervals (more or less depending on the engineering). That's covered in layers of shotcrete to a depth of 4" at the base to 2.5" at the top. The result is a structure than is engineered for in excess of 200 mph winds and can take loads of in excess of 2500 psf. Even that didn't suit this owner, and we increased rebar (25-50%) and concrete (about 1") to a standard appropriate for 300 mph winds (don't ask why...clients are entitles to their idiosyncrasies).The inside surface is usually given a sand finish and painted. The exterior of this one had the air form removed, the foam scarfed, and received a coating of acrylic elastomeric and synthetic stucco fine-aggregate color coat.The floor in the kitchen picture is bamboo. The house has RFH. It was designed with a wall surrounding it ala a compound, extending in each direction from the garage facade, but I don't know if that will or won't happen.

1. 
   JohnT8 | Nov 03, 2006 08:45pm | #3

   If you ever get a friendly builder, I'd love to see a new pictoral step-by-step on one of these.jt8

   "Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

1. 
   Huck | Nov 04, 2006 10:26pm | #4

   me too!"...never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too" - Mark Twain

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   CloudHidden | Nov 04, 2006 10:59pm | #10

   I'll keep an eye out for a good opportunity. Thanks.

2. 
   Carole4 | Nov 04, 2006 10:32pm | #5

   Way cool!

   I love the kitchen....

3. 
   gdcarpenter | Nov 04, 2006 10:36pm | #6

   Great stuff cloud. Garfield here in the cold CT north now, dearly missing NC. We do hope to move back to our house in NC down the road, really would like to eventually meet you. We bring the wine.

   Let's not confuse the issue with facts!

1. 
   CloudHidden | Nov 04, 2006 10:45pm | #7

   Hey there Garfield. Been to Raleigh 3 times this fall already for gym meets. Cold here today, too. Probably didn't break 60. Brrrrrr. :)

1. 
   gdcarpenter | Nov 04, 2006 10:48pm | #8

   We'll be lucky to break INTO the 50's! Glad we did not sell our home in Raleigh - do hope to return. Rumour is you actually have to shovel here.Let's not confuse the issue with facts!

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   CloudHidden | Nov 04, 2006 10:58pm | #9

   Good lord man, run for the exits before it's too late!!!Did you invest in snow tires? Chains? A St. Bernard?

1. 
   gdcarpenter | Nov 04, 2006 11:14pm | #11

   Got me some lined carhart overalls. Dang 100 year old farmhouse we bought up here doesn't even have a fireplace!Let's not confuse the issue with facts!