Visiting Oregon Dome's Office

I chose to visit Oregon Dome in Eugene, Oregon because it was one of my longtime favorite dome websites. I had read www.domes.com's website for at least a few years.

Oregon Dome uses wood and shingles, finishing items that I feel are very traditional in style. However, viewing an Oregon Dome provides one with a first-hand view and feel of a geodesic dome. Oregon Dome seems to have a well-established set of designs and ample consulting assistance.

A rough estimate of construction and materials costs are $10.00 per square foot. Oregon Dome uses 2x6 or 2x4 Douglas Fir for perimeter struts and interior finish backers that are sheathed with "OSB" and drilled. The wooden modular triangles are brought to the site ready for installation. One panel is bolted to the next. Oregon Dome has found that it is better to mount triangles individually, rather than assembling the triangles on the ground and raising a large assembly.

After modules are raised, they are finished with a surface of insulation adhered to wood. Linda gave me a sample.
Upon arrival at Oregon Dome's facility in Eugene, I was greeted by Linda who offered me a look around the office. The walls were covered with photos and floor plans. Linda sat down with me and spent about one hour reviewing my site plans. She asked what size home (number of square feet) that I would like to build.

Using a standard design for my first idea of building a dome, we discussed building a 2,000 square foot (s.f.) dome that would include 1600 s.f. of living space with 400 s.f. of garage space within the dome. The 2,000 s.f. size was used because with a dome structure, that footage would be ample. The 2,000 s.f. dome is 35 feet in diameter.

If I had chosen, I could have used a design based on a 39 foot diameter dome. This dome would be 2,150 s.f. of living space wth 400 s.f. of garage space, totalling 2800 s.f.

Linda helped me by indicating that the kitchen and living areas would face south for the best use of light. The garage, of course, would face the street. Since my map showed a row of houses facing a street, Linda suggested placement of the dome toward the rear of the rectangular 50' wide lot so that the dome can catch the sun's rays as it sets in the West.

Reference:
For more information on Oregon Domes, Inc., see

http://www.domes.com/

A visit to Oregon Dome, Inc. in Eugene, OR

While visiting my mother in Portland, Oregon, last week, I took her along to see Oregon Domes. It was a pleasant two-hour drive from Portland. I had set up an appointment with Linda, the co-owner of the company.

Linda suggested that I bring a copy of a map which shows the land that I want to build a dome house on. The reason is that it is easier to talk about design when there is something tangible to discuss. By bringing the map, I show the orientation of the site (North-South orientation), the square footage and shape.

The company site is a two-story dome with a loft and cupola. The ground floor is finished with offices for the dome manufacturer. The second floor and loft, however, are left unfinished, with just the wood construction showing so that potential customers can see what a dome looks like before the sheetrock and other finishing materials are added.

Reference:
For more information on Oregon Domes, Inc., see

http://www.domes.com/