atelier kristoffer tejlgaard assembles third 'dome of visions' pavilion

located in the danish city of aarhus, ‘dome of visions 3.0’ forms the third dome in a series of experiments undertaken by architect kristoffer tejlgaard. the ongoing project, referred to as DoV, examines how living inside greenhouse-like enclosures affects our well-being and comfort. conceived as a temporary and versatile volume, tejlgaard suggests that a space that is neither inside nor outside is able to serve as a better environment to experience nature.

image by helle arensbak (also main image) / all images courtesy of atelier kristoffer tejlgaard

the architect, who recently set up a new studio called atelier kristoffer tejlgaard, states that, although the dome of visions is temporary, so are all other man-made constructions. as the project will eventually be disassembled, the structure promotes a careful use of materials that can be reused without damaging the environment — a practice tejlgaard says can be applied to all other built objects.

the project forms the third dome in an ongoing series of experiments

the design team chose timber as the scheme’s load-bearing material, and worked closely with the wood producers to ensure an efficient and optimized design. six large pieces of curved glulam form the circular foundation, which sits on a screw foundation. meanwhile, cross-laminated timber has been used for the house-like structure inside the dome, which facilitates many of the venue’s activities.

a balcony overlooks the scheme’s lower level

as the dome is a greenhouse, and is only warmed by radiant heat from the sun, its temperature will drop during the winter season. therefore, this ‘house’ enclosure has been isolated in order to retain heat during cooler months. once assembled, the timber skeleton was clad with rhombus-shaped polycarbonate panels — a shape that reduces waste in comparison to hexagons or triangles. material for the curved CNC-milled steel beams was also optimized during the production process.

cross-laminated timber has been used for the house-like structure / image by helle arensbak

the design seeks to establish itself as an open and safe setting conducive to learning and the exchange of ideas. ‘we want to make room for events where people can meet to evolve, and where conversations can give weight to our understanding of the world,’ explains the design team. consequently, the venue has been configured to host a wide variety of events, lectures, concerts, and exhibitions.

the design seeks to establish a direct relationship with nature

the design team chose timber as the dome’s load-bearing material

the project blurs boundaries between indoor and outdoor space

the house can be completely isolated to retain heat in winter / image by jonathan bisagni

the timber skeleton was clad with rhombus-shaped polycarbonate panels / image by helle arensbak

project info:

the dome
dimensions: 24m diameter, 10.5m height
footprint: 450 sqm
garden: 130 sqm
volume: 2,950 m3
surface area: 794 sqm
beams: 588
nodes: 282
façade: 283 6mm sheets of polycarbonate
top opening: 25 sqm
bolts: 8,600