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BioDome

Construction Phases

Site layout plan showing dome footprint, access paths, and staging areas
Site layout: dome footprint, pole storage area, mixing station, and access paths

This timeline assumes 2-3 people working most days. Drying periods are not idle time — use them to prepare materials for the next phase.

  1. Site Prep & Pole Harvest (Week 1)

    • Clear eucalyptus from building footprint + 3m buffer (including porch area)
    • Mark center point and 3m radius
    • Harvest 18 arch poles (8-10cm, ~11.6m) — green (16 needed + 2 spares)
    • Harvest ring poles for horizontal rings (5-7cm dia) — these can be borax-soaked with the arch poles if desired, or kept green under shade wraps for use in Weeks 3-4
    • Score and pair arch poles (8 pairs, including door-framing pair)
    • Treat door, window frame, and wind porch corner posts (borax soak)

  2. Foundation (Weeks 1-2)

    • Identify outlet point (lowest grade)
    • Excavate ring trench (35cm deep at outlet, sloped 1–2%)
    • Line with geotextile, lay gravel bed and perforated pipe
    • Connect outlet pipe to daylight downhill
    • Assemble gabion cages, fill with stone over pipe
    • Fold geotextile over top, level bearing surface, mark sockets
    • Build wind porch U-shaped gabion extension at door opening
    • Test drain, allow foundation to settle (3–5 days)

  3. Dome Frame (Week 2-3)

    • Raise all 8 arch pairs (7 standard + 1 door-framing) — bend poles live, two-person job
    • Install wind porch frame: 4 corner posts, ridge poles, rafters, outer lintel
    • Wire-lash crown crossing (all 16 poles)
    • Lock pole bases into foundation
    • Install door frame at porch outer end

  4. Wattle Weave (Weeks 3-4)

    • Harvest wattle infill poles fresh (3-5cm dia, ~200 pcs) — weave the same day
    • Install 7 horizontal rings from bottom up
    • Weave vertical infill between rings
    • Weave wind porch sidewalls and roof infill
    • Install window frames and window box frame members
    • Density check — no gaps larger than a fist

  5. Straw-Clay Shell (Weeks 4-5 + 2-4 weeks drying)

    • Mix clay slip, coat straw
    • Apply to exterior in 25mm layers, bottom up
    • Apply straw-clay to wind porch sidewalls (same 100mm build-up)
    • Fill window box cheek walls with small-scale wattle and straw-clay
    • Pin burlap strips on upper dome to hold material
    • Smooth final surface
    • Allow 2-4 weeks to dry completely

    Use drying time to prepare interior: compact floor base, mix lime plaster, build furniture.

  6. Weatherproofing (Weeks 5-6)

    • Drape burlap over dried straw-clay, staple in place
    • Apply porch EPDM first (roof, sidewalls) at the dome junction zone
    • Apply dome EPDM in horizontal bands, bottom up — lap OVER porch EPDM at junction
    • Cut EPDM picture-frame at each window, fold flaps into box, seal
    • Install window sill flashing with 5-degree outward slope and drip edge
    • Seal all seams with primer + tape (15cm overlap minimum)
    • Install base flashing at gabion
    • Build and install apex rain cap
    • Hose test for 30 minutes — fix all leaks, especially porch junction and window sills

  7. Exterior Finish (Weeks 6-7)

    • Stack stone skirt against EPDM from gabion top to 60-80cm — extend across porch sidewalls
    • Drape wire mesh over EPDM above stone zone, tuck under collar and behind stone skirt
    • Apply lime-earth render scratch coat (8-10mm) to dome and porch upper walls, allow to cure 5-7 days
    • Apply lime-earth render finish coat (5-8mm)
    • Plant climbing vines at base of stone skirt

    The stone skirt can begin as soon as the EPDM hose test passes. Render and interior plaster can proceed in parallel.

  8. Interior Finish (Weeks 7-9)

    • Apply lime plaster scratch coat to interior (including porch interior)
    • Install floor (earthen, lime concrete, or timber)
    • Apply lime plaster finish coat
    • Apply 3-4 coats of limewash
    • Install door at porch outer frame, glaze windows in outer box frames