How to Draft a Geodesic Dome

Original Source Spencer Hunter, 1996

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#! How to draft t$e needed portion of an icosa$edron in two %iews
##! How to draft t$e needed portion of t$e circumscribing sp$ere
###! Subdi%iding one face of t$e icosa$edron
#&! Pro'ecting t$e deri%ed points out to t$e circumscribing sp$ere
&! (onnecting t$e pro'ected points
&#! Deri%ing usable templates from t$e drawing
&##! (onstructing a $emisp$erical model
)in*s to public+domain images t$at accompan t$is document ma be found one le%el
bac* in m (ompre$ensi%e ,nticipator Design Science director, or at t$e -.)/
$ttp/00www!u!ari1ona!edu02s$unter0cads!$tml! )in*s to Public Domain #mages
Abstract: one met$od of drafting a geodesic dome, *nown as t$e alternate brea*down, is
to subdi%ide one face of an icosa$edron and pro'ect t$e deri%ed points out to its
circumscribing sp$ere! 3$e points on t$e sp$ere are t$en connected b lines, and
au4iliar %iews and rotations can t$en be performed to obtain t$e desired true si1e of eac$
of t$e triangular surfaces, gi%ing face angles and c$ord lengt$s! 5urt$er rotations and
au4iliar %iews can be produced as needed to get a4ial and di$edral angles, but t$ose
won6t be co%ered $ere!
#f t$e drawing is e4ecuted carefull enoug$, an actual model can be built from it, w$ic$ #
$a%e successfull done wit$ inde4 cards and glue! 7ear in mind, t$oug$, t$at t$is is an
analog tec$ni8ue and is t$erefore imprecise! 5or large+scale construction, eit$er use a
computer aided design program suc$ as ,uto(,D to deri%e precise %alues, or refer to
publis$ed tables of c$ord factors suc$ as t$ose b 9osep$ (linton in Domebook 2!
How to draft the needed portion of an icosahedron in two views.
,n icosa$edron is one of t$e fi%e basic Platonic solids consisting of twel%e
%ertices (twel%e points, surpri1ingl, are t$e most e8uidistant points one can cram
onto t$e surface of a sp$ere" and twent e8uilateral triangular faces! #t $elps to
*now t$at surrounding eac$ %erte4 are fi%e e8uilateral triangles!
,! 3$e top or plan %iew of t$e topmost fi%e triangles of an icosa$edron wit$
its ape4 facing straig$t up, t$en, would be a perfect pentagon! 3$e sides of
t$e pentagon would represent t$e true lengt$ of eac$ edge of t$e
icosa$edron, and t$e edges leading up to t$e ape4 would appear as spo*es
in t$is pentagon to its center!
So, t$e first step in drafting t$e geodesic dome is to construct t$is
pentagon wit$ its spo*es!
1! -sing a compass, draw a circle!
:! Draw a $ori1ontal line t$roug$ t$e center of t$is circle!
;! 7isect t$e distance from t$e left intersection of t$e circle and t$e
center! )abel t$is point m!
<! (onstruct a perpendicular bisecting line to t$e $ori1ontal line
t$roug$ t$e center of t$e circle (not point m"! )abel t$e intersection
of t$e new line wit$ t$e top of t$e circle point 3!
=! >it$ t$e compass point on m, set t$e span to t$e lengt$ from m to
3 and swing an arc down to t$e $ori1ontal line! )abel t$e
intersection point p!
6! >it$ t$e compass point on 3, set t$e span to t$e lengt$ from 3 to
p! 3$is is t$e lengt$ of one side of t$e pentagon! -se t$e compass
to mar* off t$is lengt$ about t$e circumference of t$e circle!
(onnect t$ese new points wit$ straig$t lines to form a pentagon!
?! Draw straig$t lines from eac$ of t$e %ertices of t$e pentagon to t$e
center to form t$e spo*es!
3$e top point of t$is pentagon is 3@ label t$e center ,,O (for A,pe4A of t$e
icosa$edron, and AOriginA or center of its circumscribing sp$ere t$at lies
directl beneat$ t$e ape4 in t$e plan %iew"@ and t$e two points t$at form
t$e base line at t$e bottom of t$e pentagon, from left to rig$t, 7 and (
respecti%el!
7! Be4t, draw in a folding line to t$e rig$t of t$e pentagon parallel to line
3,! 3$is is w$ere t$e side ele%ation %iew will be constructed! Draw
pro'ection lines to t$e rig$t from points 3@ ,,O@ and line 7( perpendicular
to t$e folding line!
(! ,long t$e pro'ection line from ,,O in t$e side ele%ation %iew, arbitraril
select point , t$at is t$e ape4 of t$e icosa$edron! Set our compass span
to t$e lengt$ of one of t$e sides of t$e pentagon in t$e plan %iew, t$en wit$
t$e compass point on , in t$e side ele%ation, draw an arc t$at intersects
t$e pro'ection line from 3 awa from t$e folding line! 3$is intersection is
point 3 in t$e side ele%ation! Draw in line 3, t$at is s$own in true lengt$
in t$e side ele%ation %iew!
D! #n t$e side ele%ation %iew, draw a line perpendicular to t$e pro'ection line
at point 3 straig$t down until it intersects t$e pro'ection line from 7 and
(! )abel t$is point (, 7 (point 7 is $iding be$ind point ( in t$is %iew" t$at
represents t$e line 7( seen straig$t on as a point in t$e side ele%ation!
,gain in t$e side ele%ation, draw a line from , to (, 7 t$at is t$e true
lengt$ of t$e altitude of e8uilateral triangle ,7( and also represents
triangle ,7( seen edge+on as a line in t$e side ele%ation %iew! 3$is is all
of t$e icosa$edron we need to draw in order to draft a geodesic dome!
How to draft the needed portion of the circumscribing sphere.
C! #n t$e side ele%ation %iew, construct a perpendicular bisecting line to line
,3! >$ere t$is line intersects t$e pro'ection line from point ,, O in t$e
plan %iew is point O in t$e side ele%ation!
5! >it$ t$e compass point on point O in t$e side ele%ation, set t$e span to t$e
lengt$ from O to ,, t$e ape4 of t$e icosa$edron, w$ic$ is t$e same lengt$
as O to 3! Swing an arc from , down past point (, 7! 3$is is all of t$e
circumscribing sp$ere we need to draw in order to draft a geodesic dome!
Subdividing one face of the icosahedron.
G! Bow it6s time to arbitraril decide on t$e degree of brea*down, or
fre8uenc, of eac$ e8uilateral face of t$e icosa$edron, w$ic$ will be
pro'ected out to t$e surface of its circumscribing sp$ere to form a dome! #f
ou decide on a fre8uenc of one, we6re doneD Eou $a%e a geodesic dome
consisting of fi%e e8uilateral triangles (awn"! , fre8uenc of two means
to find t$e midpoints of t$e edges of eac$ face and connect t$em to
subdi%ide t$e face into four smaller e8uilateral triangles! , fre8uenc of
A%A means to di%ide eac$ edge of all t$e faces into A%A parts and connect
all t$e resultant points in a triangular grid t$at subdi%ides eac$ face into
A%A+s8uared number of smaller e8uilateral triangles!
H! 5or t$is document, we will set A%A e8ual to four, since t$at fre8uenc ma
be t$e smallest brea*down we can reliabl get awa wit$ using t$is
met$od of construction@ because it produces a %er aest$eticall pleasing
dome@ and per$aps because it6s also t$e fre8uenc 7uc*minster 5uller
c$ose for $is first large+scale commercial dome commissioned b t$e 5ord
Fotor (ompan! 5our is an e%en+fre8uenc brea*down, and all e%en+
fre8uenc brea*downs using icosa$edra allow us to construct
$emisp$erical domes wit$out t$e need to truncate an of t$e surfaces!
#n t$e plan %iew, subdi%ide eac$ edge of triangle ,7( into four e8ual
parts! (onnect all t$e resultant points wit$ straig$t lines to form a
triangular grid t$at s$ould di%ide triangle ,7( into si4teen smaller
triangles!
#! )abel all t$e new points, including t$ose formed b line intersections in
t$e triangular grid! Starting in t$e plan %iew from point ,, mo%e down one
le%el on t$e grid in triangle ,7( and label t$e first two new points a1 and
a:, left to rig$t, respecti%el! Fo%e down to t$e ne4t le%el and label t$e
ne4t t$ree new points b1, b:, and b;, left to rig$t, respecti%el! Fo%e
down to t$e ne4t le%el and label t$e ne4t four new points c1, c:, c;, and
c<, left to rig$t, respecti%el! 5inall, mo%e to t$e bottom le%el of triangle
,7( t$at is line 7(, and label all fi%e points d1, d:, d;, d<, and d=, left to
rig$t, respecti%el! Bote t$at d1 is an alternate label for point 7, and d= is
an alternate label for point (! d:, d;, and d< are t$e new points created
along wit$ t$e triangular grid!
9! Pro'ect all t$e new points into t$e side ele%ation %iew!
a1 and a: pro'ect onto one point along line ,7 in t$e side ele%ation, and
t$at point is labeled a:, a1 (since a1 lies be$ind a: in t$is %iew"! Similarl,
b1, b:, and b; pro'ect onto one point along line ,7 in t$e side ele%ation
and labeled, of course, as b;, b:, b1! c1, c:, c;, and c< pro'ect onto one
point along line ,7 t$at6s labeled c<, c;, c:, c1, and t$e points d1, d:, d;,
d<,and d= pro'ect onto one point at t$e end of line ,7 labeled d=, d<, d;,
d:, d1 (t$at is an alternate label for point (, 7"!
#f ou $ad c$osen a $ig$er fre8uenc, ou would need to label and pro'ect
more points@ $ad a lower fre8uenc been c$osen, fewer points would be
labeled and pro'ected!
Projecting the derived points out to the circumscribing sphere.
Pro'ecting in t$is sense means radiall out from t$e center point O of t$e
circumscribing sp$ere, not t$e usual ort$ograp$ic pro'ection between t$e plan and
side ele%ation %iews wit$ respect to t$e folding line!
G! ! Bote t$at t$e pro'ection lines from point O in t$e plan %iew to points b:
and d; are parallel to t$e folding line! 3$erefore, t$ese lines will appear as
true lengt$ and, more importantl, as true slope in t$e side ele%ation! >e
can t$en draw pro'ection lines out from point O to points b: and d;,
respecti%el, in t$e side ele%ation %iew and e4tend t$em to find out w$ere
t$e intersect t$e circumscribing sp$ere! )abel t$ese new points b:6 and
d;6, respecti%el, t$at trul lie on t$e circumscribing sp$ere! Pro'ect
(ort$ograp$icall" b:6 and d;6 bac* into t$e plan %iew, w$ere t$e lie
along t$e radial pro'ection line from O to b: and d; in t$e plan %iew!
)! ! 3$e radial pro'ection lines from O to most points in t$e triangular grid of
triangle ,7( in t$e plan %iew, $owe%er, are not parallel to t$e folding
line, so we cannot reliabl e4tend t$em to t$e circumscribing sp$ere
s$own in t$e side ele%ation to obtain w$ere t$e would pro'ect!
3$e solution to t$is problem is to rotate an gi%en radial pro'ection line in
t$e plan %iew so t$at it HisH parallel to t$e folding line, determine w$ere it
intersects t$e circumscribing sp$ere in t$e side ele%ation, t$en rotate it
bac* to its original position wit$ t$e deri%ed pro'ected point s$own!
)et6s use point c: as an e4ample! #n t$e plan %iew, e4tend a radial
pro'ection line from O to and slig$tl beond c:! Set t$e compass point on
O and ad'ust t$e span to t$e lengt$ from O to c:! Swing an arc from c:
o%er to t$e e4tension of line 3, and label t$at intersection rc: so t$at line
Orc: is now parallel to t$e folding line! Ort$ograp$icall pro'ect rc: into
t$e side ele%ation! (ircular rotations in t$e plan %iew translate into linear
rotations in t$e side ele%ation (a two+dimensional circle seen from t$e side
is simpl a %ertical line"! 3o find rc: in t$e side ele%ation, draw a line
down from c: in t$e side ele%ation until it intersects wit$ t$e pro'ection
line from rc: in t$e plan %iew! 3$is intersection represents point rc: in t$e
side ele%ation! Be4t, e4tend a radial pro'ection line from O out to rc: in
t$e side ele%ation and e4tend t$e line until it intersects t$e circumscribing
sp$ere! )abel t$is point rc:6 and ort$ograp$icall pro'ect it bac* to t$e
plan %iew w$ere it intersects t$e e4tension of line 3, t$at represents rc:6
in t$e plan %iew! >it$ t$e compass point on O in t$e plan %iew, reset t$e
span to t$e lengt$ of line Orc:6 and swing an arc bac* to t$e original radial
pro'ection line Oc:! 3$e intersection between t$at arc and t$e e4tension of
line Oc: is c:6, t$e radial pro'ection of c: out to t$e circumscribing sp$ere!
#n t$e side ele%ation, rotate rc:6 bac* to t$e original radial pro'ection line
t$at e4tends from O to c: and beond b drawing a line up from rc:6 until
it intersects t$e e4tension of line Oc:, t$at is c:6 in t$e side ele%ation! Eou
can double+c$ec* t$e accurac of our drafting b seeing if c:6 in t$e side
ele%ation does indeed line up c:6 in t$e plan %iew!
,ll t$e ot$er radiall pro'ected points a16, a:6, b16, b;6, c16, c;6, c<6, d:6, and
d<6 can be determined in bot$ %iews b t$is same process! d16 and d=6 are
t$e same as d1 and d=, t$at are t$e same as 7 and (, two points of t$e
original icosa$edron t$at lie on t$e circumscribing sp$ere!
Connecting the projected points.
3$is s$ould be a fairl straig$tforward process in t$e plan %iew!
Simpl connect wit$ straig$t lines t$e pro'ected points as t$e points t$e were
deri%ed from in triangle ,7( are connected!
#n t$e side ele%ation, t$is is a bit more confusing, as a16 is $iding be$ind a:6 and
$ence triangle ,a16a:6 appears edge+on as a line, as does triangle b:6a16a:6,
triangle b:6c:6c;6, and triangle c:6c;6d;6! ,lso, onl $alf of w$at appears in t$e
plan %iew can be seen in t$e side ele%ation, wit$ t$e ot$er $alf consisting of
in%isible lines t$at $ide be$ind %isible lines!
Howe%er, w$en all t$e points are properl connected, ou now $a%e a two+%iew
t$ree+dimensional rendition of 10:It$ of a four+ fre8uenc geodesic sp$ere! #
belie%e computer aided design programs would now gi%e ou precise %alues for
all lengt$s and angles in t$e drawing, but if all one $as are standard drafting tools,
t$ere6s more fun a$ead!
Deriving usable templates from the drawing.
5ortunatel, onl fi%e triangular templates are needed to construct t$e entire ;:I+
triangle geodesic sp$ere, or a beautiful 16I+triangle $emisp$erical dome! 3o
a%oid an furt$er confusion (# $ope", allow me to specif t$ose fi%e triangles wit$
single letter descriptions/
o triangle ,a16a:6 JK triangle ,
o triangle a16a:6b:6 JK triangle 7
o triangle a:6b:6b;6 JK triangle (
o triangle b:6c:6c;6 JK triangle D
o triangle c:6c;6d;6 JK triangle C
#n standard applied descripti%e geometr, one could construct folding lines
parallel to t$e edges of eac$ of t$ese triangles to determine t$eir true lengt$s in
au4iliar %iews, and t$en construct t$e templates on a separate s$eet of paper, but
t$ere is a muc$ simpler wa! Botice t$at triangles ,, 7, D, and C appear edge+on
in t$e side ele%ation! #f we rotate t$ose triangles so t$at t$e are parallel to t$e
folding line and pro'ect t$em bac* into t$e plan %iew, t$e will appear as true si1e
in t$e plan %iew, wit$ all face angles and edge lengt$s s$own in proper
proportion!
3riangle ( is not s$own edge+on, so we need an au4iliar %iew t$at does s$ow it
so! Draw a construction line across triangle ( in t$e side ele%ation parallel to t$e
folding line and pro'ect it bac* into t$e plan %iew, w$ere it is s$own in true
lengt$! (reate a new folding line perpendicular to t$is construction line in t$e plan
%iew and pro'ect triangle ( into t$e new au4iliar %iew, w$ere it s$ould appear
edge+on (since t$e new au4iliar %iew is related to t$e side ele%ation %iew, t$e
distances from t$e new folding line to all points will be t$e same as t$ose from t$e
folding line to all points in t$e side ele%ation"! #n t$e new %iew, rotate triangle (
until it is parallel to t$e new folding line, and pro'ect it bac* into t$e plan %iew
w$ere it will now be s$own in true si1e!
-sable templates can now be created from t$e drawing b simpl coping all fi%e
true+si1e triangles onto a separate s$eet of paper!
Constructing a hemispherical model.
Eou will need t$irt copies of triangle ,, t$irt copies of triangle 7, t$irt copies
of triangle C, ten copies of triangle D, and si4t copies of triangle (! 3riangle (
translates to two different mirror+image triangles in t$e model@ construct t$irt
copies, t$en flip t$e template around to create t$e ot$er t$irt mirror+image copies
if needed! #f a $ig$er fre8uenc was c$osen, t$ere would be more of t$ese mirror+
image triangles to contend wit$!
(areful labeling of all triangles will allow successful construction of t$e model!
(onstantl refer bac* to our drawing to see $ow t$e all fit toget$er!