Program Descriptions: Domes

Bridges | Domes | Skyscrapers | Dams | Tunnels

Photo: Capitol dome

More than just big roofs over big spaces, domes symbolize power, prestige, and majesty. The program explores the history of domes, from Emperor Hadrian's Pantheon to the geodesic structures of Buckminster Fuller, and the science principles that support them.


Segment	Start*	End**	Length*
Introduction	"Deep in the heart of Texas, old habits die hard."	"Domes, coming next on Building Big."	2:49
Astrodome: problem-solving; dome vs. flat roof	(2:49) Baseball player swinging	"...how the role of the dome has changed over time."	7:20
Pantheon: symbolism; forces in domes and arches; problem-solving	(10:09) Doors opening into Pantheon	"... nothing to fear in the human world."	7:30
Islamic Domes: symbolism; problem-solving; pendentives	(17:39) Pantheon doors closing	"...the most dramatic dome the world had ever seen."	9:03
St. Peter's: problem-solving; symbolism; tension rings	(26:42) Rome at dawn	"Building new, huge domes would require a radical new approach."	5:57
U.S. Capitol: problem-solving; symbolism; materials	(32:39) U.S. Capitol	"... would change the face of the urban world."	7:54
Geodesic Domes: Buckminster Fuller; materials; triangles; tensegrity	(40:33) City street	"... into the dome of the sky."	12:22

*Start times and lengths of video segments are written as minutes:seconds.
**End cues reflect a preliminary version of the program script. The final version may differ.