email: roadarch@outlook.com

Florida Mid-Century Modern Domes (page 2)

(hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page; click on photos for larger images)

Yaca-Dome
Lake Placid, FL
This Yaca-Dome was designed by Joseph Yacaboni in the early 1970s. The original was built in 1969 in Pittsburgh, PA. They were patented in 1973 and 25 others were built. [map]

There are at least four others in Lake Placid, including these at: 1421 Bradley Ave., Miami Dr., and two at Catfish Creek Rd. Another one in Lake Placid at 1609 Bradley Ave. is now an Airbnb known as Area 1609.

There are others in Sebring, FL and Avon Park, FL. For more, see this website.

Pool Spa Store
Marathon, FL
The Pool Spa Store domes appear to be made of fiberglass. They were installed in 1976 and originally housed a real estate office. The pool supplies business is gone now and I believe the domes are now part of the Coco Plum real estate business located next door. I believe these domes were developed in the 1960s or 1970s. Other identical structures exist in Millers Creek, NC, Eureka, CA, and Farmington, NM. [map]

former Miami Science Museum Planetarium
Miami, FL
The Miami Science Museum Planetarium dome was built in 1966. The 65-foot-wide outer shell of the dome was used as a projection screen. The museum moved to a new location and built a new planetarium. I believe this building has been vacant since then. [map]

YUCK Skateshop
Minneola, FL
The YUCK Skateshop dome was built in 1981. It previously housed a locksmith. I don't know what the original tenant was. [map]

Heidrich Center
Orlando, FL
Heidrich Center is located at the Bishop Moore Catholic High School. This dome is also called the Hornet's Nest or simply The Dome. [map]

Dome Home
Pensacola Beach, FL

2005:
2010 and 2019:
Although this is not mid-century modern, I'll include it anyway. This Dome Home, built in 2003, withstood Hurricane Ivan in 2004 remarkably well. The 2005 photos above were taken just four months later. With its shape and foam construction, the home is fireproof and termite-proof as well. The open base, used for parking, also allows storm surge water to pass through and under the house. The stairs which were not there in 2005 had either not been built yet or were gone. They were designed to break-away in hurricanes. This Penscaola Beach Futuro also held up to the storm's 130 mph winds. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

There is a similar house in Sullivan's Island, SC.

Dome Home
Port St. Joe, FL
This Dome Home was built in 1999. It was built to withstand 250mph winds and is elevated to protect it from storm surge. For more, see this website. [map]

Bethel French Seventh-day Adventist Church
Riviera Beach, FL
The Bethel French Seventh-day Adventist Church was originally a First Methodist Church. It may have been built in the early 1960s. For more, see this website. [map]

West Palm Beach Auditorium
West Palm Beach, FL
The West Palm Beach Auditorium was designed by Bertrand Goldberg and built from 1958-1967. It hosted ice hockey and football games. It later hosted cocerns and wrestling. Leaks in the roof earned it the nickname of "Leaking Teepee." In the late 1990s, it became a church. It now houses the Christian Convention Center. [map]

Chain of Lakes Recreation Complex [gone]
Winter Haven, FL
The Chain of Lakes Recreation Complex was built in 1961 as the Florida Citrus Showcase. The building was more commonly referred to as the Orange Dome. From 1997-2000, the roof was painted to look like a giant baseball. The photos above are from 2009. The building was demolished in 2012.

FL Domes
page 1		 FL Banks FL Churches FL Dairy Stores FL Educational FL Motels
FL Offices FL Residential FL Retail FL Roofs FL Misc.

Mid-Century Modern Buildings
Main Page