Se·rene (s
-r
n
),
adj. 1. Unaffected by disturbance; calm and unruffled.
Serene is the best word to describe the feeling our customers get when they spend time in a Monolithic Dome -- serene and secure.
March 8, 2005
by David B. South
 David B. South, President of the Monolithic Dome Institute |
In 1990 we built our first model home here in Italy, Texas. It was a two bedroom Oberon. We beautifully decorated it and opened it up for tours. I distinctly remember taking one couple through the home and as we finished our short tour, the wife turned to the husband and said "if you build me one of these you can go."
I was intrigued by the statement and asked her what she meant. She told me her husband often traveled to the Middle East for work and left her home alone for six to eight months at a time. She was frightened to be left home alone in her conventional home, but she felt safe and secure in the Monolithic Dome.
I probed a little further and said, "Well, surely you know someone with a hammer could come through the windows just as easy as in a conventional home." She replied, "I understand, but in this home I feel safe. I feel secure."
In reality, serene was probably the best word to describe how she felt. We built the first Monolithic Dome home for my mother in Idaho in 1976. Since it was the first home, we got a lot of visitors. People were curious and wanted to tour the home. I learned very early on that you never let the touring guests sit down in your home. If they sat down you couldn't get them out. They couldn't describe what they felt so I will describe it. It's serenity. Time after time I would experiment by letting them sit or making them stay standing. In every case, if they sat down they would get extremely comfortable -- comfortable beyond conventional. Part of this phenomena is due to the fact that the dome creates a warm feeling -- just from being round. Psychiatrists may have to further study this phenomena.
Serenity is difficult to describe and explain, but as I have interviewed people and as they have spent time in a Monolithic Dome they almost always -- without exception describe a feeling of safety and security -- a feeling of serenity.
Related Links:
- The Superdome -- A great building beaten by the elements
- Preparedness Takes Preparation
- Tsunamis -- Rebuilding Better After Disasters
- Standing at the Crossroads
- Make Every Lick Count
- The Quest for the Good Life and the Effects of Materialism
- Your New House: An Investment or Money Pit?
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