Support my journey and start your own
This is the first aircrete dome structure to have council build approval in the world. I hope my building permit approval can be a precedent to help other domies in Australia to achieve their dream homes too. To make it even easier for others, I’ve packaged up my plans and engineer drawings as a purchasable download for you to save a lot of the fees and consult costs I have had to shoulder as I negotiated our aircrete build with council. Click the download and then purchase through the Shopping Cart Section appearing in this websites footer section.
As I build, I have documented my progress, successes, learnings and the many inventions that go into making my aircrete dome home… stay tuned for the Aircrete Dome Elysian Falls story! Meantime, you can follow my progress on Aircrete Dome Elysian Falls facebook page.
I wish you all the best in your aircrete adventures and hope my plans help you in that journey!
Cath Wild
Download a pdf copy of Australia’ s first council approved Aircrete Dome Home Architects Drawings, and Engineers Drawings – 90sqm interconnected dome home
Explore the completed dome using this 3D virtual tour link
What is Aircrete?
Aircrete Domes are super low cost to build and very DIY friendly. They are not only fireproof, cyclone proof, and termite proof… but have incredible sound insulation and thermal insulation. All of these attributes make it perfect for our harsh Aussie climate. In simple terms, Aircrete bricks are basically a DIY version of hebel bricks, made using a precise foamy mixture of air bubbles and cement. I can achieve about 150-200 bricks from a day’s aircrete brick pour, and this build requires 5500 bricks! This mixture is poured into molds and left to set, after which they are cut to size and stacked to cure before using to build with.
What makes my Aircrete Dome unique?
I was first introduced to the magic of aircrete domes through the information on the Domegaia website and the beautiful dome home builds of Steve Areen. After spending the last few years wading in reports, red tape, and council requirements (and about $26 000 in fees and report costs!) to get a building permit for my dream home… things are now well underway with the build.
While people have been building aircrete domes for years, until now, it has always been done off the radar or with no council approval. My build is the first in Australia to get council approval and engineer signoff, and I’ve been told by those ‘in the know’ that it is also the first in the world (but not sure how you go about checking that?!). Most domes previously built have usually been under the 10sqm ‘shed’ size to get around the council regulations.
“What makes Aircrete Dome building so exciting and unique is the excellent sound and thermal insulation properties, as well as it being water resistant, fireproof, cyclone proof, super low cost and DIY friendly!”
- I am building in circles not in squares, and that takes some thinking outside of the box from traditional building methods.
- Because I have council permission, I’ve been able to go much bigger than most aircrete domes previously built to create a really expansive space to call home.
- My home is four interconnecting domes, all with large arches front and back. Three of them are 5m diam and the big one is 7m diam and will be 4.6m high including the skylight. It has been architecturally designed to blend perfectly with the lush rainforest hills.
- To actually build this structure, I’ve needed to make my own aircrete bricks – around 5500 of them (give or take a few hundred).
- There is no steel reinforcement or timber framing in the build, in fact I am building with ‘insulation’, and the strength comes from the final shape and rendering layers.
- After foundation costs… so from the ground up, it will cost me about $12 000 AUD to complete the shell to waterproof stage.
- Its very DYI friendly! I am a woman in my 50’s who is actually now building this on my own after doing an amazing 2 day intro workshop with Aircrete Domes Australia based in Canungra, QLD.
- Im making my own stained glass skylights and window inset features.
- I believe I can do it… and so I just do it. And if I can… so can you!
Media coverage on my dome build
In today’s current brutal housing market, it is not surprising there has been a massive upturn of interest in building with aircrete. In fact, if you exclude foundation and fit out costs, my 90sqm multi-dome home will cost about $12 000 AUD to complete the shell, including a few of the windows, waterproofing and paint! My story has been taken up by local newspapers, Renew magazine, Channel 7 news, and the Sunrise Breakfast program on Channel 7. Links to these video clips and articles are on my facebook blog page Aircrete Dome Elysian Falls.
I have also just found out I have been successful as a winner in the AirBNB OMG fund! I am one of 100 winners around the world who have won fund money (in a few installments based on achieving build milestones) to complete their sustainable, unique, slightly whacky builds by August 2023… and then Air BNB them for the next year to make this experience open for the general public to enjoy. Thanks Air BNB!!
Want to learn about making your own aircrete dome?
I have people contact and visit me all the time wanting to learn more about aircrete, and I’m happy to share my knowledge and let people have a ‘feel’ of the sizes and space. Be warned though… I might just hand you a saw or trowel to help out. Why not book a luxury stay at Elysian Falls Poolhouse Airbnb and come and see the dome build with your own private tour.
I am learning and fine tuning the process as I go and sharing all I learn on the way on my facebook blog at Aircrete Dome Elysian Falls. The blog has now connected me in friendships with domies all over the world… all of us pushing the boundaries and sharing our lessons and breakthroughs with each other.
I can also thoroughly recommend the following people in Australia who offer short courses in making and building with aircrete. They can also be booked to run workshops on your own land to teach you and others while you build your own dome home. Contact them to find out more.
Aircrete Domes Australia – Queensland
Kathy, Dean, Freda, David, and Pete (and sometimes Gerry and Sandy too!) are the team I did my intro to aircrete course with. They are based in Canungra about half an hour inland from the Gold Coast. Kathy was the first Australian to do a course overseas with Dome Gaia, and brought all the techniques of Hajjar Gilbran back to Australia. She then set about teaching this knowledge to the many eager domies here in Australia. I attended their very first workshop in June 2020. This course covers all the basics to get you started, and provides you with a great reference manual. They also offer 8 free additional training days to keep your skills brushed up and honed. They are an amazing group of people, and the skills and advice they provide you with are priceless. Attending one of their courses has literally changed my way of thinking, not only about aircrete, but about community and connection. They are legends and I can’t recommend them highly enough. They can be contacted through their facebook page or website – https://aircretedomesaustralia.com/
NEW ONLINE COURSE AVAILABLE!! The team at ADA have put together a comprehensive online course for those unable to attend a workshop in person. Their amazing 2 day introductory workshop is now available online with video tutorials of everything that you would learn if you attended the live training in person. It includes a full manual and lifetime access to training videos to view and review at your leisure.
Currently retailing at a one time payment of $299 AUD… the team have offered a very special limited time discount to followers of Aircrete Dome Elysian Falls. Purchase now using code ‘ELYSIANDOME’ to receive $50 off this course… and get started building your own affordable Dome home. For more information and to take advantage of this massive saving please click here https://aircretedomesaustralia.com/
Sacred Domes – Western Australia
Darlene runs workshops in the traditional brick making method of aircrete, and also the new inflated air forms that drastically reduce the time to achieve a finished dome structure. I met Darlene when we both attended the intro to aircrete course in June 2020 and she has become a great friend and constant inspiration. Since then Darlene became a trainer for Aicrete Domes Australia and has flown to Hawaii to attend the advanced master course with Dome Gaia and brought back all the latest techniques around magnesium render, offset pivot axis arms and egg shaped domes, flat wall techniques etc. She is also the first in Australia to master, adapt, and now teach inflatable air mold dome building techniques. She will be coming to Elysian Falls in the next year or two to run a workshop here on that new technique, and is currently rolling out the first courses in this over in Western Australia where she is currently based. She can be contacted through her Sacred Domes business facebook page
Art of Domes – Queensland
Charlie is a local legend based in Crystal Waters in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. He also attended Aircrete Domes Australia’s first workshop in June 2020 and has taken the ‘ball’ and not just run, but flown with it. Since then he has built countless domes and has come up with some truly innovative time savers and adaptions to take traditional brick aircrete builds to beautiful and artistic places. He has developed Australia’s first commercial foam machine ‘The Roaring Meg’ which runs from a 12v battery and is perfect for building domes off grid (available through his website, link below). He runs workshops in SEQ and also can travel to do workshops on your land if you live a bit further afield. He can be contacted through his webpage Art of Domes
Domegaia – International
If you are able to travel or live outside of Australia, you can also contact the team at Domegaia for necessary equipment and training courses, or to facilitate an at-home workshop where they may be able to come to you and host a workshop. As their website says… The best way to learn is by doing. Domegaia have taught over 1000 people in over 10 countries and 15 states in the USA, and 2 Canadian provinces. The beautiful dome home of Steve Areen and Domegaia’s teachings were my inspiration behind building my own dome home, and we were in negotiations for a hosted workshop here at Elysian Falls just before Covid hit the world and turned everything upside down for the last few years.
Domegaia’s workshops bring you to a beautiful location, surround you with incredible people and help you on your way to building your own dome. Not to mention, that you will come away with a network of people who will support your project. Find out more by visiting their website at https://domegaia.com
