timothy oulton erects the dome home from reclaimed material

furniture designers timothy oulton erect the dome home from reclaimed material
all images courtesy of alexandra public relations

a winding concrete brick path passes through several circular thresholds in the lychee gardens of gaoming,china, passing along the way a small village of reclaimed brick cylindrical structures. at the heart of this village sits the dome home designed by british furniture manufacturers timothy oulton, used as a creative space where people can interact and consequently innovate new design ideas. the structure, as well as the supporting village created around it, were both built almost entirely of reclaimed material. the exterior of the dome is covered in red cedar shingles, sitting on a concrete foundation. the interior structure takes on the characteristics of a spider web- long vertical curved columns come to a point at the very top, spanning between them are perpendicular planks that subtly draw concentric rings all the way down the wall of the structure. the space consists of an open and cyclical floor plan revolving around a central staircase of cantilevered wooden planks. the ground level contains the living and dining room accompanied by a small kitchen situated under the loft which takes up half of the footprint.

vertical pine planks arranged on a circular footprint serve as a center point for the home, helping to support the loft and stairs

simple in rationale, the strenuous dedication becomes evident in the immaculate details and craftsmanship. the use of reclaimed- therefore imperfect- material came with the challenge of detailed engineering to make it standardized and safe. it also beckoned a special attention to the unique connections required. custom steel plates and fittings were designed to add to the meticulous details, creating a very clean and sometimes subtle perfection to the construction.

stairs act as the centerpiece of the home