In our posting on 19th November 2009 we showed the start of what was to be a guardhouse, incorporated into our garden wall. As work progressed, we felt less happy about it's given role, and more enthusiastic about using it as a space to get out of the sun; to reflect on the day; to listen to music or even as a simple sleeping space.
Ed realized early on in the build that he needed to do some creative projects to provide release from the challenges of managing a Bolivian construction team using Spanish and sometimes Quetchua to communicate our ideas. The dome was a perfect project for him.
He had a couple of workers make some smaller adobe bricks and, when they ran out, he and I made some ourselves, giving us a hands on experience of the process.
Ed had never built a dome before, but through the internet he found a straightford explanation for shaping the roof. You simply drive a stake into the centre of the floor, cut a length of cord to the required height and tie a toggle to it. That cord enables you to form the dome - you use it sideways to the walls and gradually swing it upways at an angle as the walls move inwards and upwards.
This procedure wasn't too complicated to start with but, as the bricks forming the walls started to move in, the scaffolding for ed to work on had to be reduced. Ed devised a system of braces made out of reinforcing steel to hold up the bricks as the mortar dried.And, of course, we wanted to incorportate some more bottle art...
The space became tighter....the hole became smaller....
and there were times when the claustraphobio really got to Ed...
But eventually, there was no more daylight entering the dome roof, except that filtered through the bottles and the blue centrepiece - 3 glass desert bowls placed together to intensify the colour.
The dome was left to dry out so that it could be rendered with earth, and fitted out with seating.Ed had created a beautiful building, and was justifiably proud of his achievement.
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