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Along historic Route 66 stands a Monolithic Dome which serves as a farm store, which has a family legacy and history.
[H2] News
[IMG: Monolithic Dome Storm Shelter]
An EF3 tornado smashed through Beggs, Oklahoma, in early March. It uprooted trees, flipped trucks, lifted roofs, demolished buildings, and, sadly, killed two people. But for the dozens of residents sheltering in Monolithic Dome safe rooms, it was serene.
[IMG: Class of 2026 Spring Workshop]
Another workshop is complete, with 25 hard-working and attentive students from all over the US and even the UK. In five days, they completed an unusual addition to a Monolithic Dome Home. Heads up, Workshop prices are changing.
[IMG: Aerial View of Compost Bunkers]
Monolithic manufactures a variety of fabric forms and architectural products. One example is odor-free compost covers used for industrial-sized composting systems. We have 15 years of experience in the industry and our compost covers handle repeated use without breaking down or losing performance.
[IMG: Monolithic Domes from 1976-2026]
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Monolithic Dome by scrolling through this photo journal of favorite dome moments! This retrospective is a highlight reel, a rough timeline, and a Thank You for making the last 50 years so fantastic.
[IMG: Research Park Aerial]
Bruco, the famous Texas-Italian caterpillar, recently underwent an exterior renovation, including new boots and a redesigned face by the granddaughters of David B. South, inventor of the Monolithic Dome and creator of the original structure. The 30-year-old manufacturing facility is a caterpillar-shaped Monolithic Dome and a popular part of the Monolithic Dome Research Park and Central Texas landscape.
[IMG: Dome Beside Original Structure]
In the Fall of 2025, James Crisp and his family experienced the kind of catastrophe every homeowner fears. A fire broke out in their home of 14 years, destroying everything inside. What it did not destroy was the Monolithic Dome recently built next to it.
[IMG: Monolithic’s Main Office]
The 2025 Monolithic Dome Research Park Tour was fun and productive. People showed up smiling, curious, and ready to explore every corner of our commercial facilities and five dome homes located here.
[IMG: Avalon Gym New Roof Covering in 2024]
Monolithic Domes are tough, efficient, and built to last. But there’s one part of every dome that does need attention from time to time. If you ignore it, the fix can turn into an expensive problem. Let’s talk about dome roofs, how long they really last, and the point at which you need to step in and take care of maintenance.
[IMG: Kickapoo Childcare Center Campus]
Tornadoes sweep through Oklahoma and Kansas every year, and people take cover as best they can in storm shelters and basements. At the Kickapoo Community Childcare Center, the staff saw the fear on the little faces of their students every time tornado warning sirens sounded, and they wanted to find a way to keep children safe and secure in all weather. Their solution was to build a Monolithic Dome.
[IMG: Bruco’s New Boots]
Thank you to everyone who attended the tour. The Monolithic Dome Research Park in Italy, Texas, is hosting a dome tour on October 18, 2025. The tour is free and open to the public. The Research Park features over 75 domes of all uses, shapes, and sizes—including several dome homes. Plus, visit the newly refinished Texas landmark—Bruco: The Texas Italian Caterpillar.

[H2] What are Monolithic Domes? They are super structures!
Monolithic Domes are constructed following a method that requires a tough, inflatable Airform, steel-reinforced concrete and a polyurethane foam insulation. Each of these ingredients is used in a technologically specific way.
Our domes can be designed to fit any architectural need: homes, cabins, churches, schools, gymnasiums, arenas and stadiums, bulk storages, landlord dwellings and various other privately or publicly owned facilities.
Monolithic Domes meet FEMA standards for providing near-absolute protection and have a proven ability to survive tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, most manmade disasters, fire, termites and rot.
They are cost-efficient, earth-friendly, extremely durable and easily maintained. Most importantly, a Monolithic Dome uses about 50% less energy for heating and cooling than a same-size, conventionally constructed building.
Beginning in 1970, Monolithic Domes have been built and are in use in virtually every American state and in Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
Monolithic Domes are neither restricted by climate nor by site location. In terms of energy consumption, durability, disaster resistance and maintenance, Monolithic Domes perform well in any climate, even extremely hot or cold ones. And they can be constructed on virtually any site: in the mountains, on beaches, even underground or underwater.
[IMG: Foundation — The Monolithic Dome starts as a concrete ring foundation, reinforced with steel rebar. Vertical steel bars embedded in the ring later attached to the steel reinforcing of the dome itself. Small domes may use an integrated floor/ring foundation. Otherwise, the floor is poured after completion of the dome.]
Foundation — The Monolithic Dome starts as a concrete ring foundation, reinforced with steel rebar. Vertical steel bars embedded in the ring later attached to the steel reinforcing of the dome itself. Small domes may use an integrated floor/ring foundation. Otherwise, the floor is poured after completion of the dome. (David South Jr)
[IMG: Airform — An Airform – fabricated to the proper shape and size – is placed on the ring base. Using blower fans, it is inflated and the Airform creates the shape of the structure to be completed. The fans run throughout construction of the dome.]
Airform — An Airform – fabricated to the proper shape and size – is placed on the ring base. Using blower fans, it is inflated and the Airform creates the shape of the structure to be completed. The fans run throughout construction of the dome. (David South Jr)
[IMG: Polyurethane Foam — Polyurethane foam is applied to the interior surface of the Airform. Entrance into the air-structure is made through a double door airlock which keeps the air-pressure inside at a constant level. Approximately three inches of foam is applied. The foam is also the base for attaching the steel reinforcing rebar.]
Polyurethane Foam — Polyurethane foam is applied to the interior surface of the Airform. Entrance into the air-structure is made through a double door airlock which keeps the air-pressure inside at a constant level. Approximately three inches of foam is applied. The foam is also the base for attaching the steel reinforcing rebar. (David South Jr)
[IMG: Steel rebar — Steel reinforcing rebar is attached to the foam using a specially engineered layout of hoop (horizontal) and vertical steel rebar. Small domes need small diameter bars with wide spacing. Large domes require larger bars with closer spacing.]
Steel rebar — Steel reinforcing rebar is attached to the foam using a specially engineered layout of hoop (horizontal) and vertical steel rebar. Small domes need small diameter bars with wide spacing. Large domes require larger bars with closer spacing. (David South Jr)
[IMG: Shotcrete — Shotcrete – a special spray mix of concrete – is applied to the interior surface of the dome. The steel rebar is embedded in the concrete and when about three inches of shotcrete is applied, the Monolithic Dome is finished. The blower fans are shut off after the concrete is set.]
Shotcrete — Shotcrete – a special spray mix of concrete – is applied to the interior surface of the dome. The steel rebar is embedded in the concrete and when about three inches of shotcrete is applied, the Monolithic Dome is finished. The blower fans are shut off after the concrete is set. (David South Jr)
[IMG: Step One: Foundation]
Monolithic Domes are constructed following a patented method that requires a tough, inflatable Airform, steel-reinforced concrete and a polyurethane foam insulation. Each of these ingredients is used in a technologically specific way.
Monolithic Domes are flexible. They can fill any structural need. So in addition to being designed as homes, schools, churches, sports facilities and bulk storages, they can be factories, prisons or jails, fire stations, administrative or business offices, etc.
Monolithic Domes are the greenest structures currently available. They have the added advantage of a super-strong outer shell and a clear-span interior. Those qualities make the domes a natural choice for virtually any type of building.
[IMG: Lafarge Cement Plant — Located in Ontario, Canada, Lafarge’s storage dome can hold 40,000 tons.]
All manner of products, goods or items can be safely maintained in a Monolithic Dome bulk storage: grains, fruits, vegetables, meats, coal, fertilizer, pesticides, etc.
[IMG: Bruco — Bruco – the Italian name for caterpillar – is the Airform manufacturing plant of Monolithic Constructors, Inc. It was built using a single Airform that was shaped as seven interconnected domes.]
Monolithic Domes have obvious qualities that become apparent to most people as soon as they learn about the materials and technology used in the dome’s construction. We invite you to review them all.
[IMG: Monolithic EcoShell in Indonesia — Domes For The World trained native workers to build Monolithic EcoShell Domes which provide clean, low-energy use, fire- and disaster-resistant homes and public buildings in New Ngelepen, Indonesia.]
Besides Monolithic Domes, we have developed the technology to build two types of EcoShells. In the construction of an EcoShell I, concrete is layered onto the exterior of an inflated Airform. For EcoShell II, concrete is layered onto the interior of an inflated Airform. Either type usually is not insulated, but either is about the best, thin shell concrete structure currently available.
[IMG: Safe Harbor — The Elkins built this 4000 square foot, luxury dome in Florida and named it Safe Harbor.]
When it comes to homes, Monolithic does not believe in one size or one style fits all. Your Monolithic Dome home can be everything you need and everything you want in the home of your dreams. It can be small and cozy or spacious and luxurious; one-storied or multistoried; at ground level, totally underground or earth-bermed; built in virtually any location and environment.
[IMG: Monolithic® Office – Italy, Texas]
Being the coinventor of the dome and the founder of the Monolithic Dome Institute has given David B. South the opportunity to not only fine tune the building process, but to create a company whose main mission is to make available Monolithic Dome technology to all the world. It is the hope of Monolithic to educate the public about Monolithic Domes and to provide professional services to its customers by creating a successful partnership with them through all phases of their dome design, planning and construction.
[IMG: Faith Chapel — Faith Chapel Christian Center, a mega-church complex of six Monolithic Domes. Its sanctuary has a diameter of 280 feet, a height of 72 feet, and an interior of 61,575 square feet with seating for 3000, classrooms and offices.]
A Monolithic Dome church can be as small as a chapel or as large as a megachurch. It can consist of one or several domes, that can be built at one time or in economically manageable phases.
“If you build them, they will rent.” Monolithic’s President David B. South has been saying that since mid-2000 when the company first began planning the building of an experimental complex of dome rentals. Monolithic’s goal was to provide clean, secure, and — most importantly — affordable housing for low-income individuals.
[IMG: Hinton High School Gym — With features such as spectator seating, lockers under the seating area, a green room for receptions and a graceful lobby, Hinton High School is amazing.]
A Monolithic Dome is the ideal structure for any sport facility: school gymnasium, indoor football or hockey stadium, mega-arena, rodeo arena, skating rink, etc. Several factors make it ideal.
[IMG: Bishop Nevins Academy — Bishop Nevins Academy in Sarasota, Florida is the first Monolithic Dome School in the state of Florida.]
What does a community need and want in a school structure? We think the number one answer to that question is Safety. A Monolithic Dome makes a school that can’t be beat for safety. It not only meets but exceeds FEMA’s requirements for a structure that provides near-absolute protection.

When it comes to homes, Monolithic does not believe in one size or one style fits all. Your Monolithic Dome home can be everything you need and everything you want in the home of your dreams. It can be small and cozy or spacious and luxurious; one-storied or multistoried; at ground level, totally underground or earth-bermed; built in virtually any location and environment.
Flexibility is the key idea behind our home designs. The interior of your Monolithic Dome home can be partitioned into rooms or areas that fit your needs and wants. Moreover, that inside space can include just about anything — indoor swimming pool or sauna, game or exercise room, theater, separate apartment, office, home-based business, home-based school, etc.
Because a Monolithic Dome is so well built and insulated, your home will be energy-efficient, disaster-proof, virtually maintenance free, durable and cost-efficient.
To read More About the Monolithic Dome Home, click here!
[H2] Click here to get a Free Evaluation for Monolithic Homes.
[IMG: The Disappearing Dome — This a Monolithic Dome with a diameter of 55 feet and three stories. The Disappearing Dome overlooks Lake Michigan.]
The Disappearing Dome — This a Monolithic Dome with a diameter of 55 feet and three stories. The Disappearing Dome overlooks Lake Michigan.
[IMG: Harrisonville Dome — Even though the O’Dells downsized from 2000 to 1200 square feet, the Harrisonville Dome is the perfect retirement home.]
Harrisonville Dome — Even though the O’Dells downsized from 2000 to 1200 square feet, the Harrisonville Dome is the perfect retirement home.
[IMG: Robot Ranch. — Al Schwartz’s 4,144 square-foot earth-sheltered Monolithic Dome dream home, built into the side of a hill, featured on “Amazing Spaces.”]
When George Clarke of “George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces” and master craftsman, Will Hardie, took the UK-based reality show on a road trip across Texas in search of some interesting, unique, unusual spaces, they found a truly “Amazing Space”—Al Schwartz’s Robot Ranch.
Notable — that’s a good description of many Monolithic Dome homes. That something special that makes a dome home particularly notable might be its style, its size, its special and unusual features — even its location. Take a look at the notability dome lovers have created for their perfect space.
Research never ends at Monolithic. We are always looking at new ideas, testing them and determining whether or not they improve what we do and what we suggest you do. Follow this link to read about new developments, what we offer and what you might consider.
Want to read the suggestions and ideas of architects and designers who have successfully planned many Monolithic Dome homes? Want to see their designs? Or, are you more interested in what engineers have to say about Monolithic Dome homes? Do you have questions about the heating or air conditioning of a Monolithic Dome home? If you’re concerned about anything related to the planning and design of a Monolithic Dome home, you will probably find the answer you need in this section. Besides articles by experts and Monolithic Dome owners and/or administrators, it contains tools, such as Google’s “SketchUp,” for planning a dome, floor plans and photographs. And new information is frequently added.
[IMG: Monolithic® Office – Italy, Texas]
Being the coinventor of the dome and the founder of the Monolithic Dome Institute has given David B. South the opportunity to not only fine tune the building process, but to create a company whose main mission is to make available Monolithic Dome technology to all the world. It is the hope of Monolithic to educate the public about Monolithic Domes and to provide professional services to its customers by creating a successful partnership with them through all phases of their dome design, planning and construction.
For your dream dome-home, our library includes floor plans in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. That size-range includes small, cozy cottages, as well as spacious and spectacular castle-like domains and everything in between. But while sizes and shapes may vary, the benefits of a Monolithic Dome home remain constant. In addition to long-range savings, our very green Monolithic Domes provide energy-efficiency, disaster protection and more. This website has tools and hundreds of articles related to dome design. In addition, our staff includes professionals with experience and expertise that can help you design the exact floor plan you want and need.
What’s involved in getting a Monolithic Dome home? Good question that has no single, standard answer for everyone. But here is what the Monolithic Dome Institute’s (MDI) professionals suggest and recommend, roughly in the order in which each should be completed.
[IMG: Randy South Home — 4,000 square foot dome in Menan, Idaho. The home consists of three, interconnected Monolithic Domes: a center dome 40′×17′ and two flanking domes, each 34′×15′. It also has five bedrooms. several bathrooms, a extra large kitchen, a living room, family room, library, utility room, and a loft made into a playroom big enough for a ping-pong table.]
We have a way for you to compare our process for designing and constructing a Monolithic home to other building systems. It’s called a Residential Feasibility Study. Such a Study is an integral part of planning. It lists what you, the client, will provide and what Monolithic provides.
Are you interested in learning more about Monolithic Domes, but don’t know where to start? We have simplified the process for you by providing links to Monolithic Dome articles, books, newsletters, house plans and more. Check it out!
The Monolithic Dome has a number of unique benefits: construction affordability, healthy environment, disaster protection, energy savings, longevity, just to name a few.

[H4] Sample Monolithic Dome School Pricing:
Monolithic Dome Schools are affordable! Click here to read more!
What does a community need and want in a school structure? We think the number one answer to that question is Safety. A Monolithic Dome makes a school that can’t be beat for safety. It not only meets but exceeds FEMA requirements for a structure that provides near-absolute protection.
Monolithic Domes are successful survivors of tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes. They can withstand most manmade disasters and are fire-resistant, termite-proof and rot-proof.
In addition to safety and durability, with a Monolithic Dome school, a community gets an ultra conservative energy-user that can be operated and maintained economically.
A Monolithic Dome facility can consist of one or more domes, each designed to fit a specific need, built at one time or in phases.
The Monolithic staff includes professionals to help design a new campus or add to an existing one, answer all your questions, arrange for a tour of a Monolithic Dome school already in use.
[H2] Click here to get a Free Evaluation for Monolithic Schools.
[H2] Click here to get a Free Building Assessment for your school building.
[IMG: School of Communication Arts — Built in 2004, the SCA consists of three, two-story domes, each with a diameter of 120 feet and a height of 34 feet.]
School of Communication Arts — Built in 2004, the SCA consists of three, two-story domes, each with a diameter of 120 feet and a height of 34 feet.
[IMG: Frontier Elementary School — Three domes containing classrooms, a gymnasium, a media center, a music room, and a cafeteria make up Frontier Elementary School.]
Frontier Elementary School — Three domes containing classrooms, a gymnasium, a media center, a music room, and a cafeteria make up Frontier Elementary School.
[IMG: Locust Grove, Oklahoma is a small community with just 1,200 residents. But in 2007, they passed a bond to add Monolithic Domes to their campus.]
Locust Grove, Oklahoma is a small community with just 1,200 residents. But in 2007, they passed a bond to add Monolithic Domes to their campus. (L & L Photography, Locust Grove, Oklahoma))
We make a point of staying in touch with public and private schools throughout our nation, and we know that many are working at finding ways to finance new construction or improve existing facilities or operating procedures. Follow this link and read about their successes as well as any new information we have relating to schools.
If you’re concerned about anything related to the planning and design of a Monolithic Dome school church, gym, etc. you will probably find the answer you need in this section. Besides articles by experts and Monolithic Dome owners and/or administrators, it contains tools, such as Googles’s “SketchUp,” for planning a dome and photographs. And new information is frequently added.
America’s schools, both privately and publicly owned, are finding innovative ways to finance construction, seeking structures that will keep students safe from most natural and manmade disasters, and desiring facilities that use a minimum of energy. Read their stories.
Monolithic School Modules can be designed for virtually any purpose. They can include classrooms and/or administrative offices, or serve as a food service facility, a gymnasium, a multipurpose area, a library, etc.
The number of Monolithic Dome schools in America continues to grow. This map shows dome school locations in the U.S. City and/or school administrators often contact us after they actually see a Monolithic Dome school facility or learn about its benefits.
[IMG: Aggieland Dome — The 124′×40′ dome encompasses 12,000 square feet on the ground level and 2,400 square feet on the mezzanine level. The fitness area offers an oversized free weight area, quick circuit area, cardio machines with individual TVs on all 31 pieces, locker rooms with individual shower and dressing areas, and a sauna in the men and women’s locker rooms. Building was completed in January 2004.]
A Feasibility Study is a preliminary study for a project that compares the Monolithic Dome Process to other building systems. This preliminary analysis defines the design and intent of the project and provides an estimated budget and schedule, based on the best available information. Monolithic produces a Feasibility Study to assist a client before full design, management and/or construction services are engaged.
When beginning the process to purchase a Monolithic Dome School follow these steps and heed these suggestions. Thirty years of building and designing Monolithic Schools has enabled a tried and true method of designing and building your next safe and energy efficient school building.
The Monolithic Dome has a number of unique benefits: construction affordability, healthy environment, disaster protection, energy savings, longevity, just to name a few.