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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-11-30, Page 2R -TME HURON EXPOSITOR, November 30. 1994 Feature • NO TAXES THROUGH 1994 (We pay the equivalent of the GST & PST PAY NO TAXES ON DIAMONDS, GEM STONES & WEDDING RINGS Gold Chains, Charms, Earrings, Pendants & Bracelets All Watches by SEIKO - PULSAR ▪ LORUS - CARDINAL - ORLEAN FREE GIFT WRAPPING OPEN SUNDAYS - 12 to 4 p.m. UNDAYS-12to4p.m. SEAFORTH JEWELLERS Main Street, Seaforth 527-0270 GREGOR CAMPBELL PHOTO THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME ? The famous American architect and iconoclast Buckminster Fuller was the champion of the geodesic dome as a natural design with the American Pavilion at Expo '67 as perhaps his most famous work. Now there is a geodesic dome home being built near Staffa that incorporates many of Fuller's once -revolutionary notions. Woman builds domed home near Staffa BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff Santa might soon be stumped when he tries to bring the reindeer down on a roof in Staffa. The 'StaffaDome' is emerging in a landscape of century farms off County Road 16, just above the small dale about a stone's throw west of the village crossroads. The strange wooden -framed sight is going to be a geodesic dome house. "I don't know too much about the scientific stuff but it's a sphere and natural, humans live on a round globe," says Carolyn Horley. "I like the feel of them inside." She has been a props maker at the Stratford Festival since 1968, lives in that city but owns studio space in Staffa, and has owned this picturesque property since 1984. , And she has lived in domes before in California, up in the Bruce Peninsula and at Killaloe Station, just southeast of Algonquin Park where there are apparently quite a few of the geodesic dwellings. The shape is anything but unnatural and is technically defined as a sphere composed of tetrahedrons, which are three- dimensional figures that have four rectangular sides. It is a sturdy structure with unique and ideal qualities. Engineers say it is the most versatile, mobile and economical building form because it encloses the most space with the least surface and is structurally strongest against both inner and outer pressure, providing maximum strength with minimum structure. The famous New England architect, iconoclast, inventor, engineer, poet and philosopher R. Buckminster Fuller perfected the geodesic dome in 1947, and some experts call it perhaps the most significant structural innovation of the 20th century. Many friends and acquaintances have been helping Horley with the actual construction, much of which, from the floor up, came as a kit from a firm in Minnesota. The preserved wood components of what will become the basement were begun last fall. Mennonites from South Easthope and Festival and other friends also helped put together the various floor joists, and ceiling hubs and struts at various times this past summer. Horley was busy at work with a friend in the chilly afternoon wind last Friday, hoping to have the house closed in for winter so work can proceed on the interior. The props department at the Festival is idle from July to January, so the two of them have been doing some hard slogging at the site from 10 a.m to sunset most days the last couple of months. When it's done the upper levels of the dome will be insulated with spray foam, with rock salt in the lower levels. She isn't sure how she is going to heat it just yet and is researching the topic, perhaps with a wood stove, or maybe by buming com pellets, which would not require a cumbersome chimney. "Although I'm not keen on burning food," Horley says. "Domes are supposed to be 30 to 50 per cent more heat -efficient - and I guess we'll soon find out." The natural light inside this pleasure dome would make a great photograph1C moo. The -building has triangular windows and is 42 feet in diameter and 23 feet high, and whatever that is in square feet was somebody else's problem. "Someone else did all the math," Horley says. "I just have to read it off my measuring tape." The exterior is being shingled right now and the interior of the dome will be dry -walled. A mezzanine level will go half -way round the building with a sitting room, bath room, kitchen and dining area downstairs and the remainder "open living". There will also be three patio -like extensions, two of them four feet and another six, but no garage. Nothing is written in stone and Horley is planning and making changes as she goes along. For instance the lighting... "There will be lights someplace, maybe ordinary ceiling fixtures," she says. "They won't be up high because you haveto change the light bulbs." Perhaps the highest profile geodesic dome in history was the transparent U.S. pavilion at Expo '67 World's Fair in Montrdal, which was Buckminster's brainchild. Another unusual property of geodesic structures is that their strength increase in logarithmic This Week's Features! "COUNTRY" Buns 1.29 doz. "WHOLESOME" Bran Muffins 6/1.99 "DELICIOUS' Cherry Pie 8 2.99 "FESTIVE" Mincemeat Tarts 6/1.99 TRY OUR Cinnamon Fries, Butterscotch Cookies and "new" French Baguettes! proportion to size. Theo they don't have any limiting dimensions and futurists have proposed using them as "sky breaks" over entire cities to subdue hostile terrain or climates such as in 'he Arctic or Antarctic. Other design applications are military shelters, sports arenas, theatres and greenhouses. The geodesic structure comes from nature where it has been revealed in crystals, certain viruses and the comea of the human eye. GREGOR CAMPBELL PHOTO "STAFFADO'ME" • The geodesic dome home that. Is being built near Staffa catches your eye in a rural landscape amklct d1 the century farms. FRESH OFF THE BLOCK! ONION & PARSLEY 3.991h. NORWEGIAN VARLSBURG 4.9911,. TASTY NU BREAD - 675 g. Sliced White or 60% Whole Wheat Buy 3 - Get 1 Free! Save 99` "Deluxe Christmas Cake now available BUY BULK Snacks, Candies, ..:;..,.�.�_ and .... ��.... Baking Ingredients 14'YHAW Dstirs y 1f� i si(IJ (ti v 14 Main St. SEAPORTH 527--1803 GREGOR CAMPBELL PHOTO SOME HARD SLOGGING - Carolyn Horley (right) who is a props maker at the Stratford Festival, has been putting in some long hours planning and building her new home near Staffa that utilizes an unusual but efficient structure found in nature. J NOTICE Township of Tuckersmith Township of Tuckersmith Council requests the cooperation of the ratepayers regarding the parking of cars and other vehicles on township roads during the period in which snow clearing operation is necessary. The Township will not be held responsible for any damage done to these vehicles. Also the residents are asked to cooperate by not pushing or dumping snow or ice out of private driveways onto public roads as this practice could lead to an accident, in the event of which the ratepayer concerned could be held liable. Council would like to advise that any vehicle parked on road allowances will be towed away at the owners expense. TOWNSHIP OF TUCKERSMITH COUNCIL • Printing • Faxing • Photocopying • Personalized Stamps • Laminating • Wedding Invitations • Party Supplies • Seasonal Decorations • Cards • Books and of course, all your office supplies ETE PAPERCLIP OFFICE SUPPLIES • STATIONERY • BOORS WE'RE MORE THAN JUST PAPER CLIPS •Drop in and check out our selection of Christmas and New Years decorations and party supplies. SPECIAL New Years Eve Party Pack. for 10 people ONLY 1 4r Lots more great gift ideas for Christmas! 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