Tafline Laylin

Magical Dome House in Remote Thailand Constructed in Six Weeks for Just $8000!

by , 04/16/13



Dome House, Thailand, organic mango farm, sustainable building, terracotta dome house, tropical fauna, green design, sustainable design, eco-design, locally-sourced materials, daylighting, natural ventilation, Steve Areen

Truth be told, rules are a little lax in Thailand, so Steve wasn’t required to obtain building permits for his 500 square foot home, which naturally shortened the process. Then he added his own finishing touches once the main building was complete, including doors, screens, shelves, a pond and a gazebo, stonework and landscaping – all of which he did himself using materials sourced within the direct vicinity.

Although he wasn’t able to take his tranquil abode off the grid this time, such that the water is heated and the house is illuminated with electricity powered by conventional sources, the home is naturally cooled and lit during the daytime thanks to cutouts in the roof. The bedroom dome is capped with a beautiful grass roof and the bathroom, like an atrium, is filled with plants and completed with subtle touches such as a bamboo faucet that funnels water into a beautiful bowl – like cupped Buddha hands.

The terracotta paint meshes beautifully with the lush tropical fauna, while small ponds add even greater serenity to the site and design. This is Steve’s first Dome House, but the experience has inspired him to help others achieve something similar, so he is currently scouting out property in Oregon with a group of people so that he can build another – except he hopes the next one will be constructed using more sustainable earthen bricks instead. Meanwhile, he doesn’t know it yet, but he’ll be building one for us next!

+ Steve Areen

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6 Comments

  1. ryker April 29, 2013 at 10:06 am

    Pictures of the build process can be found at Steveareen.com

  2. DirtQueenMagill April 24, 2013 at 10:42 am

    does anyone know what building method he used? is it cast concrete? the article does not say other than \\\’terracotta paint\\\’ which leads me to believe this is a concrete structure and not mud?

  3. babypinky80 April 20, 2013 at 4:28 am

    i like it alot~~~i wonder if it would be difficult to obtain building permit to build these dome homes in hawaii <3 i love this idea and think its darling

  4. Lorree Gardener Milne April 19, 2013 at 2:28 pm

    This is so beautiful! I have 5 acres (actually 2 – 5 acre parcels) for sale in a forest 10 miles from Olympia, WA…. close to Oregon!

  5. Amy Kins April 17, 2013 at 10:55 am

    This is the most amazing house I ever seen! I have a 5 year plan of one day opening my own surf/yoga retreat. I really hope that Steve Areen can help me build a few of these homes for my resort.

    <3 <3 <3

  6. angel333star April 17, 2013 at 6:28 am

    I am seriously interested in getting Steve to build one of these beautiful homes for me. Please contact me.

    Gratitude. Elizabeth.

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