Geodesic dome Zeiss plant in Jena, Germany. A larger dome, called "The Wonder of Jena", opened to the public in July 1926. Some 20 years later, R. Buckminster Fuller named the dome "geodesic" from field experiments with artist Kenneth Snelson at Black Mountain College in 1948 and 1949. Although Fuller was not the original inventor, he is credited with the U.S. popularization of the idea for which he received U.S. patent 2,682,235 29 June 1954. The geodesic dome appealed to Fuller because it was extremely strong for its weight, its "omnitriangulated" surface provided an inherently stable structure, and because a sphere encloses
Monolithic dome numerous demonstrated engineering advantages, there are also some disadvantages, both engineering and social. Social disadvantages of monolithic domes are to a large degree shared by geodesic domes, due to the similar shape and unorthodox construction. These disadvantages are: The largest monolithic dome in the world is the home of Faith Chapel Christian Center in Birmingham, AL, which is tall, and in diameter. Inside is a floor area of in two levels. Some communities in the United States have chosen to use monolithic dome technology in the construction of new schools. A map of recently built monolithic dome schools can be