The Bay Area has its share of weird homes. One outstanding example of 1970s architectural innovation (complete with a burnt orange exterior reminiscent of that era) is known as the Dome House; others call it the Marshmallow House or Bubble House. For many longtime residents, however, it is playfully nicknamed the Flintstone House - a Monolithic Dome structure perched on a hillside off Highway 280 like an unofficial welcoming for visitors driving north to San Francisco.
The first question many ask as they drive across the Eugene A. Doran Memorial Bridge into Hillsborough is, "What is that?"
It's a Monolithic Dome house. The South brothers - David, Barry, and Randy - are credited as the inventors of the Monolithic Dome construction, first seen in Shelley, Idaho.
The brothers "developed an efficient method for building a strong dome using a continuous spray-in-place process," according to Monolithic Dome BBS. The materials used are cement, rebar, plaster putty, and wire mesh all applied over forms such as an aeronautical balloon, which is what was used in the Flintstone house. The architect William Nicholson came up with the idea of using balloons.
Built in 1976, county records show this modest single-story home by any other estimation would be considered a standard three-bedroom, two-bath house with a two-car garage, a fireplace, and about 2,700 square feet of living space in its eight rooms. Standard, that is, if it were a ranch home or a Spanish villa.
However, the Flintstone House is anything but typical, including the urban legends surrounding its owner. One longtime resident told me he thought that George Lucas owned the house. Some say it's a "Silicon Valley investor." Others claim O.J. Simpson bid on it at one time. Actually, public records show otherwise.
Korie Edises, an employee for Hewlett-Packard, is listed as the current resident, purchasing the house from previous owners, Thomas and Dorothy Petika, in 1996 for $800,000.
While many balk at the idea of such an outlandish style of architecture, others may see it as an innovative way to build more environmentally friendly structures. Back in the 1970s, the "establishment" (the adults) thought that things such as solar energy were just for "hippies" (the kids). Today, it looks as if solar energy may be one of the hottest industries around. Who knows? Now that the hippies are the establishment, maybe Flintstone houses will soon spring up in a subdivision near you.
Laura Wrede, freelance writer, photographer, and longtime Bay Area resident, understands that it isn't just national news that residents in the Silicon Valley want to read. They want to know how these stories affect them. They also want to know what is happening in their own neighborhoods. Wrede offers a local news perspective for her neighbors throughout Santa Clara County.
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