Healing Dome

In the aftermath of a flood, communities face more than physical damage. Contaminated water, environmental loss, and emotional stress make recovery slow and difficult. Access to clean water becomes essential, and people also need safe, calming spaces where they can begin to feel stable again.

This project explores a solution that addresses both of these needs at once. It is a self-contained healing dome that filters and restores floodwater while creating a peaceful, nature-inspired environment for the people inside. The design is based on ideas from healing architecture and natural water purification, combining structural engineering, environmental science, and human-centered design into one system.

At the center of the design are filtration pods and algae-based bioreactors that clean incoming water. As the water moves through the system, it becomes safer and clearer while also contributing to a calming visual experience. Soft lighting, flowing water, and organic forms help transform the space into an environment that supports recovery rather than just survival.

The cleaned water is also used to support mycelium farms, which can grow building materials such as mycelium bricks. This allows the system to contribute directly to rebuilding efforts. After a disaster, people often want to move from feeling like victims to actively helping others. By producing materials for reconstruction, the dome gives communities a way to participate in their own recovery and support those around them.

The goal of this project is to show how infrastructure can do more than solve a single problem. It can restore ecosystems, support emotional well-being, and empower communities to rebuild stronger than before.

This project is a conceptual large-scale system, so the supplies are listed by subsystem rather than as a simple parts list. The materials below represent what would be required to construct a full-scale prototype or real-world version of the healing dome.

Structural Materials

1. Acrylic (PMMA) sheets or panels, approximately 8 inches thick (inner structural layer)
2. Polycarbonate (Lexan) sheets or panels, approximately 8 inches thick (outer impact-resistant layer)
3. Reinforced base ring (steel or reinforced concrete)
4. Structural framing elements or ribs (optional for support and load reduction)
5. High-strength fasteners, bolts, and mounting hardware
6. Industrial sealing gaskets (waterproof and pressure-rated)

Water Filtration System (Side Pods)

1. Submersible or inline water pumps (continuous flow)
2. Intake grates or debris screens
3. Grit filtration units (for large particles)
4. Sediment filters (fine particulate removal)
5. Activated carbon filters (chemical and toxin removal)
6. Filtration housing units and piping
7. Flow control valves and connectors

Biological Filtration (Algae System)

1. Algae cultures (such as Chlorella or similar water-cleaning species)
2. Transparent or semi-transparent bioreactor tanks or tubing
3. Aeration system (air pumps or diffusers for oxygen supply)
4. Nutrient monitoring system (optional but recommended)
5. Light sources (if natural light is insufficient)

Mycelium Growth System

1. Mycelium culture (fungal spawn)
2. Organic substrate (such as agricultural waste or sawdust)
3. Growth molds for forming bricks
4. Controlled humidity chamber or enclosed growing space
5. Drying and curing area for finished bricks

Lighting and Environmental Systems

1. LED lighting (optional for controlled illumination or simulated bioluminescence)
2. Sensors (water quality, flow rate, temperature)
3. Control system (microcontroller or simple automation system)
4. Ventilation components for interior air quality

Entry System

1. Reinforced door or hatch (pressure-resistant design)
2. Rubber gasket seals
3. Locking mechanism or clamp system

General Components

1. Piping and tubing (water transport throughout the system)
2. Sealants and waterproof adhesives
3. Maintenance access panels
4. Safety equipment and monitoring tools

NOTE: This list represents a full-scale implementation. For smaller prototypes or models, materials can be scaled down while preserving the same system structure and flow logic.

Before I started designing anything, I needed to start researching the kind of thing I should make. I opened Google Scholar and looked up some articles about healing architecture and read through them. I mainly looked at the one attached below (Healing-Architecture.pdf), but they all highlighted the same general thing: Biophilic design is great for healing (especially domes), and humans are naturally drawn to water, enclosed spaces that feel safe, and soft blue/green light. I had recently taken a class on Genetic Engineering and was wondering about bioluminescent creatures, when I suddenly thought of algae. Of course! Algae can clean water of heavy metals and phosphates, and it is easily genetically engineered! From there, it was kind of obvious where I was going: A dome, filled with Genetically engineered, bioluminescent, water-cleaning Algae! On top of that, according to some psychology studies and some questioning from my friends, people in a disaster like to transition away from feeling like a victim and like to move towards helping build a solution. I had recently read something about mycelium bricks being used to build houses and realised that mushrooms are extremely versatile and grow mycelium really fast (up to 1 cm per day!). Maybe I could incorporate some sort of mycelium farm into the dome? Since the water isn't exactly perfect for drinking in a post-flood environment, even with algae cleaning, the water that is filtered of major toxins could be used to grow mycelium that could be used to help rebuild! Even some of the algae could be ingested by the mushrooms.

WIth that in mind, I started designing a dome that could house a entire community and run enough water through it to provide sufficient nutrients (basically a hydroponic mushroom farm) to grow mycelyum at a mass scale. I ended up with a 100 ft ID, 154 ft OD monolith of a dome with four pods each containing roughly 186 thousand gallons of water that have large particulate matter and activated carbon filters to get rid of the majority of grit and toxins from the floodwater. From there, the de-gritted water is pumped into the main dome, where GE bioluminescent algae will filter the heavy metals from the water and will bioluminesce, creating a soothing environment. Attached are some pics of my design.

To explore how algae could be modified for this project, I looked into different genetic engineering methods used in marine algae. The paper Advances in Genetic Engineering of Marine Algae reviews a wide range of transformation techniques and how they are used to introduce new genes into algal cells.

Some of the main methods discussed include electroporation, biolistic transformation (gene gun), glass bead agitation, microinjection, and the silicon carbon whiskers method. Each of these methods is designed to get DNA into the cell, but they all have different tradeoffs in terms of efficiency, cost, and practicality.

Electroporation uses electrical pulses to open temporary pores in the cell membrane so DNA can enter. It is relatively simple and widely used, but it can be less effective depending on the species and cell wall structure. Biolistic transformation uses a gene gun to shoot microscopic particles coated with DNA into cells. This method is very effective and works across many types of algae, but it requires expensive equipment and can be difficult to control precisely. Glass bead methods are simpler and cheaper, but they are limited to certain types of algae and are not as reliable for consistent results. Microinjection is very precise but extremely delicate and slow, making it impractical for large-scale applications.

One method that stood out for this project is the silicon carbon whiskers method. This approach uses tiny needle-like fibers that can penetrate the cell wall and allow DNA to enter when the cells are agitated. Compared to the glass bead method, it is more effective at overcoming the barrier of the cell wall, which is one of the main challenges in algal genetic engineering. It also does not require the high-cost equipment needed for biolistic transformation, making it more accessible.

For this concept, the silicon carbon whiskers method makes the most sense because it balances effectiveness and practicality. It can introduce genetic material into algae without requiring highly specialized equipment, and it is better suited for organisms with stronger cell walls than simpler methods. While it does require careful handling due to safety concerns, it provides a more efficient and scalable approach compared to many of the alternatives.

Source: Pages 4 and 5 (1605 and 1606) of the attached article.

This was pretty easy; All I needed to do was to make this structure in Fusion360. Attatched are some images from different steps of making the structure.

After I modeled it, I decided to make some renders of the structure.

At full scale, this system is designed to be deployed in areas affected by flooding or water-related disasters, where both clean water and safe spaces are urgently needed. Instead of transporting large amounts of equipment or building separate systems, the dome acts as a centralized unit that can be installed near the affected area and begin operating quickly.

In a real-world scenario, floodwater would be pumped into the side pods, where it passes through multiple stages of filtration. Large debris is removed first, followed by sediment and chemical filtration. After this, the water enters biological treatment systems where algae help remove remaining nutrients and pollutants. As the system runs continuously, large volumes of water can be processed and gradually restored.

The cleaned water can then be used in several ways. It can be safely released back into the environment, stored for later use, or redirected to support on-site systems. One of the most important uses in this design is supplying mycelium farms. These farms use the cleaned water to grow mycelium-based materials, such as bricks, which can be used for rebuilding damaged structures. This turns the system from just a recovery tool into a rebuilding tool.

Inside the dome, the environment is designed to support people as well as infrastructure. The filtered water circulating through the structure creates a calm and controlled atmosphere. Combined with natural lighting and organic forms, this helps reduce stress and provides a space for rest, planning, and coordination. It can function as a temporary shelter, a community hub, or even a medical support space depending on the situation.

Because the system is modular, multiple domes could be deployed in larger disaster zones. Each unit could focus on a different role, such as water processing, material production, or community support. Over time, these domes could form a network that not only stabilizes the area but actively contributes to rebuilding it.

In practical use, this design is not just a structure. It is a self-contained system that cleans water, supports human recovery, and helps communities transition from emergency response to rebuilding and long-term resilience.

All other sources used for general research will be listed here.