The Oregonian Takes a Look Back at Dome Homes

Monolithic was not the first to build dome homes using Airforms, concrete and steel rebar, but we do believe we’ve perfected the building technique for these super-strong structures that meet the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s standards for near-absolute protection.

Pat Jeffries, home and garden writer for The Oregonian newspaper, recently took a walk down memory lane by reminiscing about Wallace Neff’s “bubble houses,” as part of her feature story on dome homes. She then goes on to highlight the work of Monolithic, which picked up where Neff left off: “Time has been unkind to Neff’s unique domes, and now few are still standing,” Jeffries writes, quoting an article from the website Sierra Club Green Home. “But this architectural marvel didn’t die out. It’s been brought into the 21st century by David South and his Texas-based company Monolithic.”

Jeffries then describes the work of Domes for the World, which is seeking to alleviate housing problems worldwide through the construction of small dome homes, and David B. South’s efforts to address home shortages in the United States through dome rentals.

“Dome Park Lane in Italy, Texas, was his first 17-unit, furnished Monolithic Dome complex. Featuring a variety of sizes and floor plans, rent here is about $100 a week – including utilities. Next he built Secret Garden Italy, a gated garden community also in Italy, Texas, followed by Morgan Meadows with 56 micro-efficiency studio domes. All three remain filled to capacity and boast long waiting lists.”

Although there is more than one variety of dome home, the thousands of Monolithic Dome homes in the United States and around the world serve as a testament to the enduring quality of our particular approach, which has been honed over the last four decades. For more information, visit www.domeliving.com.