How to Build a Geodesic Dome With Paper
Buckminster Fuller, a famous architect, invented the geodesic dome design. Geodesic domes are polyhedrons made up of identical geometric shapes such as triangles that fit together. The Spaceship Earth ride at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center is a good example of a geodesic dome. Fuller based his design on a molecular construction which is sometimes referred to as a Buckyball. The design is particularly strong and very lightweight. You can make your own geodesic dome with tape and newspapers.
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Instructions
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Layer three sheets of newspaper together. Roll the sheets into a tight tube starting at one corner. Tape the end so that the tube does not unroll. Make 64 more tubes in the same manner.
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Measure and cut 30 tubes so that they measure 28 inches long. Cut from both ends to make the ends flat and to ensure that they do not taper. Designate these as the long pieces.
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Measure and cut 35 tubes so that they measure 26 inches. Again cut from both ends so the ends are flat and the tubes do not taper. Designate these as the short pieces.
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Tape 10 of the long pieces end to end. Then tape the end of this structure to the beginning to form a polygon with 10 sides to make the geodesic dome’s base ring. Put it on the floor.
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Tape the ends of a long piece and a short piece at each joint on the ring. Tape them in alternating order at each joint so two long pieces are next to each other on the ring and two short pieces are next to each other. Repeat this pattern for the entire ring.
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Tape the ends of the long pieces together to form triangles. Do the same for the ends of the short pieces. You should now have five triangles made from the long pieces and five from short pieces.
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Tape short pieces to the tops of all the triangles to join the top points. Now you have a 10-sided polygon made with short pieces. The dome will be beginning to stand up and take shape.
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Tape a short piece at the points where four short pieces come together. Tape two long pieces to each of these short pieces. Tape the free ends of the long pieces to the next joint on the previous row where two long pieces and two short pieces meet, forming a five-pointed star shape created by the long pieces.
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Tape a row of long pieces so that they connect the inner points of the star. Now you should have a pentagon in the middle of the dome.
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Tape a short piece to each angle of the pentagon. Tape the ends of these short pieces together in the middle of the top of the dome to complete the project.
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Tips & Warnings
Try decorating the paper tubes with paint or markers before you start building the dome.
See how strong the geodesic dome is by stacking heavy, flat objects such as magazines on top when you are finished. You will find it is very strong.
References
- Photo Credit Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images
