The weather may have been pretty consistently awful this last while, but somehow we’ve managed to make what feels like significant progress on the various projects that are ongoing here at Lackan Cottage Farm, in between being slightly sidetracked by things like the polydome above. I’ve always loved geodesic domes, having read Lloyd Kahn’s book ‘Shelter’, so when I saw a friend had one for sale, I couldn’t resist, and off we went on Sunday down to Suzie and Mike Cahn’s place in Wicklow – Carraig Dulra to pick up a jumble of pieces. Fortunately Mike had them well labelled and after a bit of head scratching it came together well.
Just some of the polydome pieces..
Someone asked if the shape is somehow beneficial, and I’ll be interested to see if it withstands the wind better than a traditional rectangular greenhouse would. I’d have thought the wind would move around it better. The geodesic form is amazingly strong, and it will happily support my weight from the top. As you build it, it becomes more and more rigid.
We cleared an area near the house, and laid a thick layer of cardboard to suppress any weeds before building the dome on top, pinning it to the ground with steel pegs.
It is great to have an example of a geodesic structure about the place, and I love the contrast of a very engineered shape with the bulk of the old rock beyond. A bit of a clean, and the joints to be taped up with polytunnel tape, and it will be a fine space in which to bring on seedlings, being handy for the house.
