singledome

Singledome is a term used primarily in architecture and speculative design to describe a structure whose most prominent feature is a single dome or dome-like roof. Because it is a neologism rather than a fixed architectural category, its exact meaning varies with context, but it generally denotes a design in which a single enclosing shell defines the silhouette and spatial organization.

In architectural practice, a singledome often implies a centralized plan with the dome as the main lifting element, possibly perched over a rotational or radial interior space such as a rotunda or sanctuary. Construction approaches include reinforced concrete, steel framework, or timber lattices covered by a shell of masonry, metal, or glass. The dome’s geometry influences interior acoustics, daylighting, and climate control, with attention to waterproofing, thermal expansion, and maintenance of the shell and its joints.

Outside traditional architecture, singledome appears in speculative design and fiction as a conceptual motif for domed settlements or museums, emphasizing unity, enclosure, or resilience. In such contexts the term may be used descriptively rather than as a formal classification.

Etymology and usage: the word combines “single” and “dome”; it has no standardized definition and may be used across disciplines to highlight the prominence of a single dome relative to other forms or structural strategies. Related concepts include dome architecture, geodesic domes, and cupolas. See also dome architecture, geodesic dome, cupola.