Monolithic Dome homes are built to last; sometimes, they outlast their creators. The Shell House, designed in the Catskills by architect Seymour Rutkin, began 25 years ago as a light-filled sanctuary and as his dream come true. Since then, it’s become a place of incubation and inspiration for dozens of other dreamers. The Shell House still resonates with sparkling life.

At about noon on October 14, 2023, an eclipse slid through the sky, and visitors stared upward, wearing special eyewear provided by Gary Clark of Monolithic. They came from all parts of Texas and from Southern states like Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Alabama. They spilled in from as far northwest as Washington state and from the Midwestern states of Oklahoma and Kansas. They arrived from the Buckeye State, Ohio; the home of the Hoosiers, Indiana; and the Rockies of Colorado. But they hadn’t come to see the eclipse, they came to tour the headquarters of the Monolithic Dome Institute.

The 2023 Annular Eclipse hit its peak at about noon on the day of the tour. Someone pointed out that the sunlight filtering through the leaves of all the trees had suddenly transformed into tiny Monolithic logos!

Learn to build a Monolithic Dome at the Spring 2024 Monolithic Dome Builders Workshop. This one-of-a-kind experience combines classroom instruction with hands-on training in constructing a real Monolithic Dome. Space is limited so sign up now to reserve your spot.

The Claddagh Dome, named for friendship, love, and loyalty, is a Monolithic Dome home for sale located near the DFW Metroplex. The energy-efficient house features 2,274 square feet of space, with an upper level of 1018 square feet and a lower level of 1256 square feet. The south-facing dome rests on two-thirds of an acre of gentle land in Azle, Texas. This suburban town of 13,712, only 14 miles northwest of Fort Worth, calls itself “the Gateway to Eagle Mountain Lake.” The reservoir includes swimming beaches, three public boat ramps, camping, fishing, and water sports.

After two years of getting-in-there-and-getting-your-hands-dirty work, in August 2008, Christine and Jim Spurgeon moved into their new dome home that they named Claddagh Dome. Located in Azle, Texas, a small town 14 miles northwest of Fort Worth, Claddagh Dome’s two stories and 2200 square feet include four bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, kitchen, living room, playroom, loft and music room.