Synopsis

The domed structure stands among humanity's oldest forms of shelter—found in African mud huts, frozen igloos, and sacred shrines and cathedrals alike. As a design, it evokes a sense of community sheltered beneath the heavens; as an engineering solution, it provides the most effective means of regulating internal conditions. And now, as we observe here, engineers have expanded and reimagined this ancient concept to create some of the world’s most impressive constructions: domed sports stadiums.