On flying trees, Weatherbreaks, Skybreaks and Skyshields

Assembly team climbing around the Weatherbreak dome

On the Saturday of the Victoria Day long weekend, the traditional kick-off to summer here in Ontario, we were hit by a storm of historic proportions: a so-called ‘derecho’ that blew winds up to 190 km/h, and stretched all the way from Windsor, Ontario in the west to Quebec City in the east, a distance of around 1,200 km. I’ve never experienced such a thing in my life. It turns out we were out in the bush when it hit, and took cover in the back room of a cabin as it blew through. We got through ok, but our vehicle wasn’t so lucky: a healthy 12” diameter, 8’ foot long branch that the winds tore off the top of an 80’ pine tree - one much like the tall HO pines on the Loonar Module - bounced off its windshield and roof. Luckily, our vehicle was repairable, and after nearly 7 weeks in the shop, we’re mobile again.

Of the many things that have bubbled up in my mind since then was Buckminster Fuller’s Skybreak geodesic dome. The best description I’ve found of the Skybreak concept is Lloyd Steven Sieden’s in his 1989 book, Buckminster Fuller’s Universe: An Appreciation:

The skybreak dwelling … was to cover the complete grounds of a residence rather than simply to enclose a number of rooms as is normally the case. That larger dome was to have transparent sections which could be covered to provide shade or privacy; however, the dome would also provide constant environmental control and protection from rain, snow, wind, and insects as well as temperature. Within that dome, people could build rooms for privacy if they desired, but the entire interior was designed to be filled with trees and plants, so the inhabitants would have the advantages of nature year-round.

There are also a few photos of early Skybreak models and drawings in the 1960 book, The Dymaxion World of Buckminster Fuller.

I started to think about a Skybreak-like dome that wasn’t necessarily sealed off from the elements as a pure Skybreak was, but was somewhat permeable, and simply provided protection from the extremes of nature for a more-or-less conventional house and grounds. The extraordinary strength of a geodesic dome could help defend against flying debris in severe storms - which we’re told we’re likely to experience with greater frequency in the years to come - as well as moderate weather effects. This sort of variation on the Skybreak concept might be better described as a Skyshield.

So, I went on a Google mission to learn more about the Skybreak, and one of the things I found along the way was this fascinating book called Montreal’s Geodesic Dreams: Jeffery Lindsay and the Fuller Research Foundation Canadian Division by Cammie Mcatee, published in 2017 by Dalhousie Architectural Press. 

Skybreak in Los Angeles

It’s a fascinating book because although I’ve known that Buckminster Fuller had a Canadian Division based in Montreal in the late '40s and early '50s, I didn’t realize the crucial role it played in the development of his geodesic domes. It turns out “the first large-span, self-supporting geodesic dome ever built according to Richard Buckminister Fuller’s theories”, the 49’ diameter Weatherbreak dome, was designed and built by the Canadian team in Baie-D'Urfé, Quebec in December 1950. It was the cover story of the August 1951 issue of Architectural Forum, and Fuller described the Weatherbreak in his 1951 patent application for a geodesic construction system. The Canadian Division then built the first Skybreak dome, a smaller 27’ diameter structure, during the summer of 1951, near Lake Saint-Louis, Quebec. The Skybreak had a long life, and surprisingly, it was moved down to Los Angeles where it lead a glamorous existence far from its beginnings in snowy Montreal.

For all the details, get a copy of Montreal’s Geodesic Dreams. The only quibble I have with it is its 8 1/2” square format as that makes for some rather small pictures, and it does contain many excellent photos and illustrations which alone are worth the price of the book. But, a larger book would mean a larger price, so, as I said, this is just a quibble.