The Monolithic Dome made it affordable for Wasuma Elementary to build a gymnasium and do so with style. Superintendent Glenn Reid told Mackenzie Mays with the Fresno Bee that he didn’t want people thinking they stepped into a Save Mart Center. Instead, they built a Monolithic Dome and “it does look pretty cool when you step inside.”
When we think of people who do not have access to clean drinking water and sanitation, the image of refugees in Africa or other parts of the developing world usually come to mind. But the poor and homeless in the United States often face the very same problems, according to a U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to Water and Sanitation. After a U.S. visit earlier this year, the U.N. investigator Catarina de Albuquerque found that the challenges faced by U.S. homeless are in violation of international human rights standards.
Built using cutting-edge technology, Monolithic Dome arenas are much more affordable to buy and operate than are conventional structures. They are multifunctional and can be designed for basketball, indoor soccer, arena football, volleyball tournaments, conventions, roller hockey, concerts and ice hockey.
Your high school or community college can now afford an indoor football stadium, or what we call the Monolithic Megasphere, that can be built for about the same amount of money as an outdoor football stadium.
Multifunctional! That’s not a term often used to describe a theater, but it fits well for a Monolithic theater. We can design and construct an elegant theater, of virtually any size, for plays, concerts, operas, graduations, special school or community events and even large funerals.
The Monolithic Dome has a number of unique benefits: construction affordability, healthy environment, disaster protection, energy savings, longevity, just to name a few.
“If you build them, they will rent.” Monolithic’s President David B. South has been saying that since mid-2000 when the company first began planning the building of an experimental complex of dome rentals. Monolithic’s goal was to provide clean, secure, and — most importantly — affordable housing for low-income individuals.
Monolithic Domes make great rentals! They fill a rapidly growing need for affordable, secure housing that’s easily maintained and managed. Currently, we have plans for domes, designed specifically as rentals, in three sizes. The Io-16.5 has a living area of 210 square feet, the Io-20 has 314 square feet and the Io-24 has 452 square feet. The Oberon Four-Plex encompasses four, separate apartments, each with a living area of 201 square feet. Most units include a bath area with a shower, basin and toilet; a kitchen with a hot plate or stove, refrigerator, microwave, table and chairs; a sleeping area and small closet.
Today’s schools have two relatively new, major problems: 1) How to keep students safe; 2) How to design and maintain a campus that provides what the community needs and does it affordably.
For several years Monolithic has been searching for an affordable door whose ability to resist tornado-force winds matched that of a Monolithic Dome. “We did not have a problem finding doors with the integrity we wanted,” said David South, president of Monolithic. “We found them, but they were in the $5000 to $7000 range. Put a few of those on a building and they really skyrocket the price of a project. We needed a door with two advantages: tornado-resistant strength and affordability. About a year ago, we found both in the Tornado Tamer.”
Affordable, easy to maintain, portable, these are just a few words to describe the advantages of our peristaltic concrete pumps. We have designed three different models of our concrete pump, specifically for use in the dome building industry.
I have been contacted by various cities about building little rental units as part of the answer to affordable housing in their areas. Many city administrators now acknowledge that their towns lack affordable housing for those who work and live on the lower end of the pay scale. Those same areas often lack affordable housing for seniors, the physically and mentally challenged, and others.
Check out this video describing the Monolithic Ecoshell and why it is the choice for housing in developing nations. They are strong structures that can withstand natural disasters, fire, termites and rot. In underdeveloped areas with hot climates, EcoShells make affordable, low maintenance, sturdy housing.
Indoor golf may now be affordable utilizing the Monolithic Dome. A nine-hole course could be built perfectly in four, 400-foot domes. Proposed plans include two holes in each of three domes and three holes in the fourth dome.
Many of you have supported Domes for the World over the years, and followed our progress as we have worked to improve the lives of people in desperate need of safe and affordable housing. Now you have the opportunity to let the world know what you think about our efforts.
Monolithic Constructors, a Texas-based builder of insulated, steel-reinforced concrete storage facilities, has introduced an oil storage tank that is fire-proof, hurricane-resistant and more affordable than traditional steel structures currently used for storing crude oil and refined products.
David South, President of Monolithic Dome Institute, Inc., says, people who are just thinking about building a Monolithic Dome home, but don’t know if they can afford to, need some convenient stopping points. So, MDI has initiated two different programs to do just that.
Today’s Throwback Thursday is a bit different as we look to the past and the future in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin. In 2016 the Johnson Creek School District opened a five-dome school to serve as the combined middle and high school. The small district of 750 students was dealing with old school buildings plus a hodgepodge of additions and portable classrooms. The maintenance costs were increasing and they needed something new. They tried several times to pass a bond to build a conventional school, but each time the voters rejected it. So they sought for a more innovative, affordable solution and found the Monolithic Dome.
All manner of products, goods or items can be safely maintained in a Monolithic Dome bulk storage: grains, fruits, vegetables, meats, coal, fertilizer, pesticides, etc.
I am often amazed by a community’s initial response for permission to build affordable, clean, safe, low-maintenance, long-lasting housing.
This video presents comments and information from superintendents, principals and teachers of Monolithic Dome schools in several States. Some talk about the advantages of going Monolithic because of significantly lower construction costs that influenced voters to pass bonds. Others comment on the energy-efficiency, affordable maintenance, and lower insurance premiums that Monolithic Dome schools enjoy. Still other comments focus on the dome’s ability to meet FEMA standards for near-absolute tornado protection, the design flexibility of a Monolithic Dome, and its use for community as well as school events.
If you think your organization just can’t afford to build the ultimate sports facility, think again! The Crenosphere Dome is here, and, as far as super stadiums and arenas are concerned, it’s a dream come true. And here’s the best part — Crenosphere Domes are affordable and practical. Their advantages include low construction and maintenance costs, energy efficiency, design flexibility, security and durability.
Adaptability and affordability are key words when you’re talking about Monolithic Domes built as cold storage facilities. “It’s a matter of you tell us what you want and need, and we will help you design and build it,” said Monolithic’s President David B. South. “We can do a cold storage dome of just about any size — small ones with diameters of 75 feet or less, giant ones with diameters of 200+ feet, or anything in between.”
David B. South, co-inventor of the Monolithic Dome and founder and president of Monolithic, works hard at spreading the word about Monolithic Domes, sharing information and providing suggestions. In the President’s Sphere, David talks about topics related specifically to the construction and care of Monolithic Domes, such as the super insulation and energy efficiency of the domes, their ability to survive virtually any natural or manmade disaster, and Monolithic’s ongoing research and testing of new products. In addition, David talks about and offers solutions to social problems and concerns, such as our nation’s dire need for safe, clean, affordable housing. We invite you to frequently visit the President’s Sphere and review the articles as they’re added.
Monolithic® Bridge technology represents an innovative solution that allows bridge construction to be stronger, longer lasting and more affordable. Historically, most bridges have been the domain of the standard, rectangular, steel or wooden form of construction. Unfortunately, these bridges have not withstood the test of time. Consequently, city and county governments are seeking affordable, yet permanent solutions for rebuilding these bridges using concrete. A Monolithic Bridge is just such a solution.
School children were killed in the tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma in the spring of 2013. That need not happen at your school – or any school. It is possible to have A TORNADO-SAFE and AFFORDABLE SCHOOL.
Besides Monolithic Domes, we have developed the technology to build two types of EcoShells. In the construction of an EcoShell I, concrete is layered onto the exterior of an inflated Airform. For EcoShell II, concrete is layered onto the interior of an inflated Airform. Either type usually is not insulated, but either is about the best, thin shell concrete structure currently available.
The architect addressed an audience of school administrators. He proclaimed that no one can affordably build large safe rooms. The best a school could do are small rooms for refuge in an emergency. He was followed by David South who said, yes, you can build a large safe room — disguised as a gym.
We are finding that an Io-20 even when rented at an affordable, fair price will turn a profit for the owner. Conclusion: It is possible to provide drastically needed housing and make money at the same time. That’s a win-win!
What does a community need and want in a school structure? We think the number one answer to that question is Safety. A Monolithic Dome makes a school that can’t be beat for safety. It not only meets but exceeds FEMA’s requirements for a structure that provides near-absolute protection.
Seniors often come to Monolithic, looking for help in designing a home for their golden years. Some are very realistic and practical about what they need, what they can comfortably afford and how they want to spend the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, others are not.
Building your own dome home means turning yourself into a do-it-yourselfer. Can you afford to do that? Most do-it-yourself projects make very little money per hour. Compare the earning ability of the do-it-yourself project with what you earn at your regular job, including overtime pay you may be able to earn. Can you afford to become a full-time or even a part-time do-it-yourselfer, or might it make better sense to earn as much as you can in your regular job and pay others to build your home?
In 1979, David South, president of Monolithic, and Barry South, David’s younger brother, as co-inventors, were awarded a patent for the Monolithic Dome. The USPTO awarded this patent because the structure called a Monolithic Dome was substantially different from all other types of structures, in use, in America.
Our new Oberon Four-plex is a Monolithic Dome oblate ellipse, with a diameter of 32 feet and a height of 12 feet, that encompasses four, separate apartments. With a living area of 201 square feet –– about the size of a large, double motel room –– the apartments are designed for one-person occupancy.
Recently, WFAA Channel 8 featured Monolithic’s president, David South, and his monolithic dome rental units on Good Morning Texas. Reporter, Paige McCoy Smith, traveled to Monolithic’s headquarters in Italy, Texas to interview Mr. South and see first-hand, “How these domestic domes can become dream dwellings for people around the world.”
The Oberon, named for one of the moons of Uranus, is an 804-square-foot home. The flexibility of this size dome has resulted in several floor plan layouts created by our design department.
Monolithic School Modules can be designed for virtually any purpose. They can include classrooms and/or administrative offices, or serve as a food service facility, a gymnasium, a multipurpose area, a library, etc.
Although it’s small, the Io-24 is a Monolithic Dome that provides disaster-resistant and fire-resistant security. It’s energy-efficient and easy to maintain.
Although it’s small, the Io-24 is a Monolithic Dome that provides disaster-resistant and fire-resistant security. It’s energy-efficient and easy to maintain. Those qualities make the Io-24 a great rental for retired seniors or a single working person.
This Monolithic Dome is an oblate built on a 3.5-foot stemwall. It has a diameter of 20 feet, an overall height of 10.5 feet and a living area of 314 square feet.
“The higher you go, the more susceptible a building is to hurricane or tornado damage,” said David South, president of Monolithic, at a discussion of the latest in warehouses, distribution centers and storage facilities. “That’s why the Monolithic Dome makes an ideal automated warehouse,” he added.
We are delighted to share our experience and expertise and teach our cutting-edge construction technology. Our position: No one outfit, no matter how big, can build all the buildings. We need you to help. The need for buildings is astronomical and you can help.
We now have the technology! It’s here. We have it! We now know how to construct domes affordably. Monolithic suggests that architects, engineers and anyone else involved in structural design or construction learn the advantages of modern domes, and study the technology it takes to build them. Let us teach you.
Monolithic now offers concession stands shaped to resemble giant football helmets and painted with a team’s emblem and colors. They’re the perfect, team-supportive concession stands for any sport stadium or venue.
Time and time again, we’ve seen Monolithic Domes survive Mother’s Nature’s greatest wrath: from Category 5 hurricanes in Florida to EF5 tornadoes in the Midwest. Awareness has been growing in recent years of just how strong these building are. So strong, in fact, that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is now providing funding to schools and other public entities that build domes that double as community disaster shelters.
If you’ve ever been to an inflation of a commercial dome structure, you know how exciting it can be to watch a huge Airform expand before your very eyes. For the students of Woodsboro Elementary, the excitement was contagious. During the recent inflation of their South Texas school district’s new multipurpose center, they got into the spirit by chanting: “Blow it up, blow it up.”
David B. South has spent most of his life trying to change the world. Since building his first Monolithic Dome in 1975, he has been working to convince people to think outside the box. Now he has a chance to be formally recognized as a Changemaker as part of an international competition for sustainable urban housing.
A Monolithic Dome is often used in its most economical configuration as part of a sphere. But sometimes the customer wants something more grand.
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