Grant's Geodesic Burning Man Eye Dome

This is a geodesic dome.

Also, known as a sculpture project designed, and built by Grant.


Grant and Suki came by last week with all the triangles, nuts and bolts to finish the geodesic dome. All those triangles needed to be painted. Lo and behold, there were cans of paint in our garage... so everyone painted triangles in our driveway. Maria painted. Alex painted. Suki painted. Grant painted. And when the white paint ran out, they switched to blue, and that is how the geodesic dome became an eyeball-dome.


I could launch into a detailed description of the geometry and engineering aspects of this project, but really we should let Grant 'splain all that. I will comment on things like, how fun it was holding up walls, looking for bolts in the long grass, propping parts with shovels and brooms, imagining how cool it would be to sleep in the dome... you know, the technical parts.


With many willing residents at the Bird House, assembling the geodesic dome went fairly smoothly. I think. I cannot imagine one or two people trying to assemble all those panels, balancing walls, while stapling or turning nuts on bolts. But with friends on hand, almost any endeavor is going to go better.


Pentagons were assembled on the ground, and then those larger panels were added together to make the long "peal" that made the base wall.


Supplies include: cardboard, 2x2 boards, nuts, bolts, staples, and duct tape... of course there is duct tape.


It also takes confidence and humor. Confidence and humor are staple ingredients in almost any worthwhile project.


Right, Suki?


The dome has a door.

Hello?
Is anyone home?


A lot of the effort was about holding panels up while people were attaching them. I was holding a wall, and photographing. Actually, it made me feel very good to be so useful while standing and taking pictures.


Everyone was needed.


Maria was especially helpful when it came to passing parts, and finding parts.


If someone were to take a geodesic dome to say... Burning Man, that someone would have an artistic, shaded retreat that could last the week.


Suki is going to paint a pupil. I suggested a monocle in front of the eye,and Grant wants to add a top hat. Maybe those are obvious choices, but jolly good ones, I think.

And now we interrupt construction for shadow fun.
Can you guess who is who?
James
Max
Grant
William
Alex
Maria
Suki


A


B

C

D

E

F

G

G is tricky, because someone does amazing shadow effects!


Maria brought out the duct tape.
She loves to help,
and play,
and laugh.
She laughs a lot.


... and the top goes up...


... and Ta-da!


An eyeful.
A shelter.
A playhouse.
Art.
A cozy place to sit while eating figs.
A Geodesic Figgy House.