CONSTRUCTION PRINCIPLES

AND METHODS

Domes – Maitrimandir, Auroville

 DOMES

• A dome is a thin curved surface

obtained by revolution of curved
surface about a vertical axis.

• Dome is an element of architecture

that resembles the hollow upper half
of a sphere.

• In its simplest form, a dome is a

hollow hemispherical structural
element.
 EXAMPLES OF FAMOUS DOME
STRUCTURES OF THE WORLD

Sanchi Stupa Hagia Sophia Lotfollah Mosque

Image Courtesy : turopia.com and Flickr

Eden Project Saint Basil’s Cathedral St. Peter’s Basilica
TYPES OF DOME
TYPES OF DOME
 GEODESIC DOME

• The geodesic dome was invented in the 1950s by American

engineer and architect Buckminster Fuller.

• A geodesic dome is a sphere-like structure composed of a

complex network of triangles.

• The triangles create a self-bracing framework that gives structural

strength while using a minimum of material.

• It being a collection of triangles which, by staying in state of

tension, together forms in the space a hypothetical sphere.

• The structure becomes more and more sphere like as the number
of the diverse sizes of the struts increases.
In the first look it seems that all the triangles are equilateral and all the struts have the identical length.
Looking better, we notice that actually the struts have lengths which are similar, but not identical
The most common example of geodesic dome that can be found in day to day life.
 MAITRIMANDIR
AUROV I L LE, PONDI CH E R RY

Architect & Founder : Mirra Alfassa

Architect : Roger Anger and Pierro

LAYOUT OVERVIEW OF
PARK OF UNITY

Image Courtesy : auroville.org

 INTRODUCTION

• The spherical structure is surrounded by twelve

petals, making it look like a lotus in full bloom.

• The dome has a geodesic geometry and is

formed from the amalgamation of multiple
golden discs that reflect sunlight and give the
structure an inimitable radiance.

• Matrimandir is one of the initial applications of the

geodesic dome structure in India.
 GEODESIC GEOMETRY

• A geodesic dome refers to a spherical or partially-

spherical shaped structure, the framework of which is
made up of several solid triangular elements. These
elements can be constructed from various materials
such as timber, steel, or cement.
• The geodesic model can be understood with an example
of a regular octahedron. One of the octahedron faces is
divided into smaller triangles by joining the midpoints.
This is then repeated for every face.

• Similarly, the number of triangles can be increased by

further dividing the sides into more segments.
 E X C AVAT I O N
WO R K

R E A DY F O R
BUILDING THE
F O U N DAT I O N
Image Courtesy : auroville.org
 BEGINNING OF
F O U N DAT I O N

ERECTING THE
SCAFFOLDING

Image Courtesy : auroville.org

 COMPLETION OF THE
C O N S T RU C T I O N O F
COLUMNS.

Image Courtesy : auroville.org

C O N S T RU C T I O N O F
COLUMN/PILLAR

COMPLETION OF INNER
C H A M B E R WA L L S
 BEGINNING
O F T H E S PAC E
F R A M E WO R K

COMPLETION
O F T H E S PAC E
F R A M E WO R K .
 THE MAKING OF THE
I N T E R M E D I AT E L AY E R O F S K I N
 P RO C E S S O F
L AY I N G G O L D E N
D I S K F RO M T H E TO P

COMPLETION AND
C E L E B R AT I O N O F
MAITRIMANDIR