27 Sliding Domes for the Prophet's Holy Mosque in Medina
Innovative techniques were developed for the production of 27 sliding domes for the Prophet‘s Holy Mosque in Medina.
The lightweight composite domes provide a mobile roof to the internal courtyards, sliding open and closed to counteract extreme temperature changes and control and support the air-conditioned environment of the mosque.
The domes are made from a sandwich of glass fibre and epoxy resin composite with a thermoplastic foam core. This material is strong, durable and extremely lightweight with as little as 85% of the weight of an equivalent dome built in concrete. Low thermal expansion means there are no shrinkage problems and edge flanges give them stiffness for a bolted panel-to-panel connection.
The richly decorated interior domes are fabricated in maple wood veneer and western red cedar.