Two fibreglass domes for a national museum, one cast in ten segments over the old dome, one cast whole.
The brief
Two fibreglass reinforced polymer domes for the museum, under a Design & Build contract with the museum itself. The main dome was to be finished in cast FRP over its existing structure, matching the original tilework; a second, smaller dome was to be cast whole and installed on a new steel frame.
What we delivered
For the main dome: a galvanised steel frame; a calligraphy band of 22 cast panels carrying Surah An-Nur, verse 35; 64 muqarnas; and the top dome in ten cast segments, 12.6 m in diameter. Each element followed the same route: master pattern and mould, casting, primer and base coat, finish coat, installation, touch-up and clear coat. The second dome was cast as a single FRP shell on its own steel frame.
Our package: the two domes, from design to handover.
Delivery
- Nov 2022Master pattern carved
- Feb 2023Segments cast and trial-assembled
- Aug 2023Segments painted in the workshop
- Sep 2023Dome complete on the roof
- Nov 2023Handed over
The detail that mattered
The new work had to read as one with the museum’s original glazed tilework. We matched an eleven-colour paint schedule to the old tiles, from the turquoise ground to the gold, green and deep red of the flowers, and finished every piece under clear coat.
