Domed home in California is designed to feel both "ancient and otherworldly"

A white concrete dome punctured by porthole-like windows shelters this holiday home in California, designed by Ukrainian designer and builder Anastasiya Dudik.

Named HATA and located in the desert of Pioneertown, an area of California known for its wild west film sets, the dwelling was designed to be a simple refuge for a "a slower, more connected way of being".

Dudik, who is a self-taught designer and builder, drew on her memories of Soviet-era brutalism as well as California's history of futuristic, domed architecture to arrive at the distinctive form of the home.

"The core concept was 'future primitive' – a return to organic, ancestral forms through a futuristic lens," Dudik told Dezeen.

"Inspired by the natural curves of the surrounding desert landscape, the design was meant to feel both ancient and otherworldly," she continued.

"It's a sculptural, earth-integrated structure that invites a slower, more connected way of being - at once deeply rooted and forward-looking."

Internally, the circular plan of HATA is divided into two segments, with one containing an open living, dining and kitchen area and the other a pair of en-suite bedrooms.

A set of folding glass doors open the living space out onto a terrace with a circular swimming pool, fire pit and seating areas, which connect via a walkway to a covered carport and driveway at the home's entrance.

Throughout the interior, small circular and arched windows have been strategically cut out of the concrete shell, including around a sunken conversation pit, above the bathrooms and next to the dining table and beds.

All of the openings in the dome, as well as its perimeter edge, have been lined with thin strips of lighting that create a warm glow at night.

While externally the dome has been given a crisp white finish, the interior is more roughly plastered to give a more natural, cave-like feel, alongside wooden carpentry and stainless steel for shelves and a kitchen island.

"Materials were chosen for their rawness, permanence and elemental feel," said Dudik.

"Concrete serves as both structure and finish – left exposed, expressive, and honest. Warm mahogany wood, hand-troweled stucco walls, and native stone further root the space in its desert context," she added.

Beyond its visual symbolism, Dudik also saw the dome as a "powerfully practical" response to the site, with its insulated concrete shell allowing the internal temperature to be passively regulated and providing both fire and earthquake resistance.

Other domed homes in California include the mid-century Palm Springs Dome House, which was renovated in 2018 by the architect Pavlina Williams, and the dome-roofed Elrod House by John Lautner, which featured in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever.

The photography is by Brandon Stanley.

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