A geodesic dome looks complicated. The math behind it is complicated. But the structural advantages it provides are significant enough that NASA uses dome structures for polar research stations, EPCOT's Spaceship Earth is a geodesic sphere, and backyard gardeners and homesteaders have been adapting the design for chicken coops, greenhouses, play structures, and event shelters for decades. Here's why the shape works so well — and why PVC makes it more accessible than any other
