Chapter 3 1/2 Later Strut Spheres
The sphere in the picture left includes these thicker brackets. It is also geometrically different, being based on the octahedron, generally assumed to be more difficult to construct because of greater strut and bracket eccentricity, a preconception I found necessary to overcome. The advantage of the octahedral system is its alignment with the orthogonal coordinate system, making for easier integration with conventional building systems. First built in 1984 (Spheroid #8) it is 20' in diameter with four lengths of 2x4 redwood struts and four types of 3/8" birch brackets. Note the bands of struts running parallel to the hemispherical meridians. It was designed in this way to make surfacing easier, but it is still hard, and it reveals that the lack of a surface is the strut domes weakness.
15' dia. Spheroid #9, 1986 above