PREFACE:  I've been fascinated with Dome Homes for 20 years. Thought I'd seen everything. Then recently, my sister Carol ( -also a Dome Home addict ) discovered Australian Chris Brown's innovative "Dream Dome" line on the net. Guess I haven't  see everything yet!  Chris' "Dream Domes" are definitely  the coolest domes I've come across! I couldn't resist asking Chris for an interview. Luckily, he agreed. Here it is. Enjoy!

Tomm Buzzetta -"Creative Tech Nerds" ( CTN ):  For our readers, who may be unfamiliar with you and your line of Dream Domes ( -modular dome home kits ), can you give us a little background on yourself ( i.e:  your edu-cation, technical and career experience, etc. ) and tell us how you came up with your Dream Dome concept? 

Chris Brown  ( "Dream Domes" ): In the state of NSW Australia I am a licensed builder. I am also a building designer. Through my research and development phase -in the early days of my dome journey I was fortunate to be the beneficiary of two Australian research council grants and for 7 years shared the role as chief joint investigator together with Prof. David Thamberatmab at QUT in Brisbane.   

I came from a background of a very practical family. As a boy, I grew up on a farm in South Africa, my father  was a farmer, caterer, hotelier and builder. I travelled the world between the age of 11 and 13 with my family including two years in the UK and finally settling in New Zealand where I finished highschool and dropped out at 17.

After a year of surfing and a few months labouring on a drilling rig in western Australia I decided to get serious about my career and with my background in hotels and the hospitality industry and my father's old-school network influence, I got a plumb but extremely challenging job as an assistant manager of a New Zealand Tourist Hotel Corporation Resort.

Long story short, it was not until my middle twenties that I realized I really wanted to learn how to build. Three years later I formed my own building company in New Zealand and proceeded to gain years of experience on all kinds of structures and projects.

Fast forward to moving to Sydney in 1987 and provided building and project management services in Sydney for 8 years. It was at the end of a 4 year project management contract in Queensland in 2000 that I became aware of dome structures when I was introduced to the owner of a 3 dome home in Christchurch, New Zealand.

I was curious and visited his home in addition to visiting several other multi-dome homes that were built in the 1980's using a technology that I had never seen before. 

I became fascinated by two things: firstly, just how comfortable these multi-dome homes felt inside and contrary to conceptions, furniture worked fine, and the high open space creates an uplifting feeling. The people who lived in them all said the same thing, "When you have lived in a dome home you can never go back and live in a square box again". Something I began to realise after three days.

Secondly, I had a vision of a strong, safe, fast housing solution for the benefit of humankind. It was in the form of a lightweight, thin-shell prefabricated dome building system that could be made in parts and easily assem-bled. The inherent strength of the dome shape allows for the most efficient use of materials. They would affordably provide ultimate protection and comfort.

It was from this encounter that I began my journey and together with my business partner at the time we formed Domeshells Australia. The journey began with building domes with Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete composite sandwich panel systems.

Around 2016 I had the opportunity to build a fiberglass sandwich panel 7.0m diameter dome. This is when I realized that aerospace materials system had all the performance criteria and ticked all the boxes of my original vision back in the year 2000 in Christchurch, NZ. 

I fulfilled my dream. That's why I called it the "Dream Dome".

Tomm Buzzetta ( CTN ):  Your line of modular dome home kits incorporate a lot of cutting-edge features and utilize some pretty sophisticated design innovations as well as specialized materials. Can you tell us about  these features and materials and WHY you chose to incorporate them in your dome designs?  

Chris Brown ( Dream Domes ):  There are many high-performance product fabricated in various forms of FRP composites from spaceships, military aircraft, jet liners, trains, turbine blades and much more. My mission became the art and science of combining advanced FRP material technology with the efficiencies of the dome shape into well designed lock together components for housing. 

Manufacturing prefabricated parts with a high degree of accuracy and finish can enable simple and fast assembly. Using "Finite Element Analysis" ( FEA ), we began to design the laminate structure of the dome panels to optimise material use and building performance including structural and thermal performance.    This took a lot of time and thought and refinement as we market tested and examined many different    operating environments, The internal finish will emulate the inside of executive jets with simple, clean        lines and easy to maintain finishes. 

Tomm Buzzetta ( CTN ):  What's amazing is that your line of domes is not only capable of withstanding a variety of weather extremes and natural disasters, they're also flood-proof, fire-retardant, termite and insect-proof as well as impact resistant? Can you elaborate upon your domes' amazing "disaster-survivability" and gives us some idea of what kind of extreme weather conditions your "Dream Domes" are built to withstand? 

Chris Brown ( "Dream Domes" ):  I have always wanted the "Dream Dome" to be virtually indestructible.        At least that we have a version that will withstand the worst of the worst of everything. Building high levels      of performance into anything costs more money so we have different levels of performance options that          are limited to an extent in the name of production economy.

The "Dream Dome" can be fabricated to a fire rating, structural performance, including Category 5 Hurricane and Cyclone and thermal performance to suit a climate of environment. Tornadoes are in a class of their own and although we could produce a version that will withstand the potential forces of a tornado, it would represent a significant increase in structural capacity and likely to need to introduce carbon fiber. 

Tomm Buzzetta ( CTN ):  If their extreme weather "survivability" isn't amazing enough on it's own, your    "Dream Domes" are also quite energy-efficient, utilizing some very smart and "environmentally-friendly"  design touches. Can you tell us a little about the energy savings ( i.e: reduction in heating and cooling costs ) "Dream Domes" owners can expect to see with your domes? 

Chris Brown ( "Dream Domes" ):  The "Dream Dome" is designed as a kit of sandwich panel parts that assemble by bolting together in such a way that the connections are hidden. The panels contain a core of material that is fire rated and provides about a ( US ) R18 insulation value that acts efficiently in a sealed

cavity between an inner and outer skin.

"Dream Domes" can be fitted with a reverse cycle air conditioner or a small wood chip fireplace.  

Tomm Buzzetta ( CTN ):  Another thing I find surprising about your "Dream Domes" is how quickly they can be assembled. Can you tell us what they include and give s some idea of how quickly they can be assembled? Also, what kind of tools are required for assembly? 

Chris Brown ( "Dream Domes" ):  Ease of assembly has been a big consideration in the design of the prefabricated parts. The full version of the kit includes a mini-pile foundation system, sub-floor members and insulated floor panels. Absolutely everything is included to have your dome installed with hurricane rated foundations in about 3-days with a small crew. 

The dome is made up of orange peel shaped segments that simply bolt together. There is no measuring and cutting and only a handfrul of tools are required to put it all together. 

Tomm Buzzetta ( CTN ):  Equally astounding to me is the fact that your "Dream Domes" can be dis-assembled and moved to a new location if need be. Tell us a little about the "dis-assembly" procedure and explain how your domes can be transported to a new location? 

Chris Brown ( "Dream Domes" ):  When a dome arrives as a kit all the parts are wrapped and stacked in a purpose made rack for safe travelling. They travel in containers this way and the whole rack system can be lifted on a truck.

To dis-assemble an assembled dome, simply unbolt in reverse except that it is possible to ship the dome in much larger sections on the back of a truck. They can be relocated on the same or new foundations in their  new location. 

Tomm Buzzetta ( CTN ):  Another clever aspect of your dome kits is the fact that you can "customize" their layout and even join together units into multi-dome configurations ( -allowing for future expansions ). Explain how this "interconnectability" works. 

Chris Brown ( "Dream Domes' ):  Interconnectability between domes is a really important feature of the modular system. The domes are connectable by a 1.0m wide by 1.0m long passage that are designed to connect to any doorway opening on any other size dome. 

This allows for multi-dome houses. The 5.0m dome for example can be turned from a single dome cabin      into a two-dome small house. The modular passage connection allows the expansion of any dome home. 

Tomm Buzzetta ( CTN ):  What are some of the primary uses and applications you envision people, businesses and government bodies ( i.e: like FEMA, etc. ) using your "Dream Domes" for?

Chris Brown ( "Dream Domes" ):  The most interest we have is for people who want an extra room ad additional rental-flat, tourism accomodation and small house developments. My personal vision would like to see the development of collaborative communities of small houses built around self sufficient living systems and useful communitiy facilities.

The versatility of the "Dream Dome" and it's ability to provide fast small housing means it is suitable for housing and shelter applications all over the world that is already experiencing critical housing shortages. 

Tomm Buzzetta ( CTN ):  I understand you're currently looking to expand your "Dream Domes" distribution into the United States. I realize Covid-19 has thrown you a "curve". What kind of "time frame" are you shooting for with regards to this US launch? 

Chris Brown ( "Dream Domes" ):  Getting from concept design and proof-of-concept to production and distribution is not so easy as I have found. So far, we have a stumbling start and Covid has temporarily  derailed plans at the beginning of 2020' to have our first display unit in the US in June. 

We are a small company with a huge vision and we are working to bring the necessary                          resources to get a display in the US asap. 

Tomm Buzzetta ( CTN ):  Do you plan on setting up a US office and a network of distributors and dealers across the United States to handle sales? 

Chris Brown ( "Dream Domes" ):  "Dream Domes" has received expressions of interest to distribute "Dream Dome" in the US, Caribbean, China and various other parts of the world. Having said that we have several options of where to start but have made no final decisions in the selection of our partners and are keen to  hear from suitable solid distribution partners.

We are at the beginning of a clean slate in a new world of opportunity for the "Dream Dome". 

Judging from their innovation, versatility and smart design, I think Chris' "Dream Dome" concept is poised to revolutionize the "small home" industry ( -both here and globally ).  If you're a serious venture capitalist looking for a unique investment opportunity, Chris' "Dream Dome" line may be just the ticket!    

I don't know how many USA dealer or distributor slot "openings" Chris will have but I'm pretty sure they'll      fill up FAST!  If you're a serious investor or venture capitalist who's looking for a new, groundbreaking line      of products to get involved with and would like to assist Chris in his US launch -drop us an e-mail. We'll    bring  your inquiry to Chris' attention.   

*NOTE:  For more details and specifications on Chris Brown's line of "Dream Domes", be sure to visit his website at:  http://www.dreamdome.com.au