Just Chillin’

It’s 106° today in Phoenix. Everything looks hot, and it feels hotter than it looks. As we head into Labor Day, the whole country’s in the dog days of summer.

Have we got a treat for you! Chris Zweifel, who has produced the structural engineering plans for 99% of my designs, had a brainstorm this past winter that makes the other dome fans amongst us think, “Now why didn’t I think of that?!”

The pictures make his idea self-evident. He’d spray it with water at night to reinforce areas that melted during the day. Larry Byrne and David South provided the Airform, and Randy South helped with logistics. Chris’ kids camped in it and certainly had Idaho’s most unique playhouse. The only improvement I can think of is for them to find a way to build the ice dome in Summer, when we could really use it!

Jim Kaslik is the principal designer of Cloud Hidden Designs, LLC, an exclusive designer of residential domes since 1997.