geodesic dome

The Climatron geodesic dome, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis.

geodesic dome, spherical form in which lightweight triangular or polygonal facets consisting of either skeletal struts or flat planes, largely in tension, replace the arch principle and distribute stresses within the structure itself. It was developed in the 20th century by American engineer and architect R. Buckminster Fuller.

A geodesic dome may be supported by light walls, but unlike other large domes it can also be set directly on the ground as a complete structure. A large geodesic dome was used to house the United States exhibit at Expo 67 in Montreal in 1967. Among the dome’s many design applications are sports arenas, theatres, greenhouses, and exhibition halls.