Imagine a circular loft with plenty of skylights and a solar array on top, gently rotating to orient itself towards the sun, and you have the basic idea of what goes into a Solaleya Domespace home. Like an eco-friendly update to the Chemosphere in Los Angeles, the domes are constructed with only FSC-certified wood and have been proven to withstand category five hurricanes and earthquakes up to magnitude eight on the MSK scale.
Solaleya‘s dome homes feature 90 percent wood construction and are insulated with cork. The roofs feature sky-facing windows that suffuse interior spaces with light and an optional feature is a small mechanical structure in the base that allows the domes to rotate. According to Solaleya, turning the house 360 degrees requires roughly the same amount of energy as vacuuming the house once, and in partially-shaded areas this allows the home to maximize the amount of sun absorbed by solar panels on the roof.
While dome-living presents certain challenges such as sloped walls and finding the door, the interior shots of several spaces suggest that owners have found some inspired solutions.
Solaleya domes are the brainchild of Patrick Marsilli, who built his first model in France in 1988. Unsurprisingly, his house drew some stares and inquiries, and his company has since built more than 130 elsewhere in France, and more around the world. Solaleya is the exclusive U.S. distributor of Marsilli’s Domespace Homes.