Danish designers Kristoffer Tejlgaard and Benny Jepsen constructed the People’s Meeting Dome twice as a temporary meeting space. They are now in the process of reconstructing it as a gift from BL (Denmark’s Public Housing) and Lokale & Anlaegsfolden to the Island of Bornholm and the city of Allinge to be used as a permanent community and event center.
The dome was originally intended to be constructed, deconstructed, and transported. They are now adapting the temporary structure for permanent use with a half basement that will include public restrooms. It will be surrounded by a series of terraces to make its outdoor areas more usable.
The structure was designed as a geodesic dome, which is mathematically generated in the form of a column-free lattice structure that provides flexibility for the interior and exterior designs. Windows and openings can be placed throughout the building, and the interior walls do not need to be load-bearing.
The dome’s design and construction were based on a 3D model of the skeleton, which enabled the designers to create the lattice structure by cutting precise printed nodes with lasers and assembling them with robots. The skeleton is as strong as the frame of a house.
The dome is constructed with 2×4 inch and 2×6 inch timber and plywood beams with four strength classes to minimize the amount of material needed. All of the wood used is Douglas pine grown locally.
The building envelope is like a tent. It is constructed with translucent greenhouse material on the spherical surfaces and transparent PVC film to create windows on the perpendicular surfaces.
The dome will be inaugurated at the next Folkemode, an annual political meeting. The designers and BL hope that it will be used for a variety of community events, such as physical activities, parties, meetings, and speeches.