Making a design work on a computer screen is one thing. Building it at full scale, placing it outdoors in northern Jämtland, Sweden and letting reality take over is quite another.
After developing the CAD model and building the first smaller timber models, we knew the geometry worked. The next questions were different: how would timber and polycarbonate behave together as temperatures changed? How could we make a structure watertight while allowing it to move? Which materials could withstand the conditions a dome would actually face?
Our first full-scale prototype was therefore as much a laboratory as a dome. We tried different materials, fixings and seals, and began systematically examining how each part of the structure performed in practice.
The polycarbonate was an important part of the work. We tested different grades and scratched their surfaces with various materials and tools to understand the differences. In the end, we chose SAPHIR®, a coated, scratch-resistant polycarbonate from Sweden’s Arla Plast. It gave us the properties we were looking for.
The fixing method called for experiments of its own. We discussed adhesive tape with engineers at 3M and tested how it bonded to timber under different conditions: clean or dusty, with or without primer. The results were clear. A little dust mattered less than we had expected. The primer, however, made a dramatic difference. With the right primer, the tape bonded very firmly to the timber.
We eventually settled on a 3M tape about 2.6 millimetres thick, which also allows a degree of movement in the structure.
The same principle applied to the seals. Timber and polycarbonate do not move in exactly the same way as temperature and humidity change. The silicone therefore had to form a seal while accommodating that movement. After testing, we chose a flexible silicone sealant, Sikasil® C, as part of the solution we continued to develop.
We also began using pine heartwood for the timber parts exposed to the weather. Its high natural resin content helps it resist moisture and decay, making it particularly interesting for a structure that will stand outdoors all year.
But tests on the workbench were not enough.
One winter day, with the outdoor temperature around −25 °C, we placed a 9 kW El-Björn electric heater inside the dome and raised the interior temperature to about +30 °C. In a short time, we created a temperature difference of roughly 55 degrees. We wanted to push the structure and see whether movement between timber, polycarbonate, tape and silicone would cause problems or leaks.
It did not.
Then it was Jämtland’s turn to test it for us.
The two full-scale prototypes have stood outdoors in northern Jämtland through every season for more than a year. They have faced summer heat and autumn rain, strong winds, prolonged cold and heavy snowfalls—sometimes around 60 centimetres in a short period. We have been able to observe how the structures and materials behave, inspect the details and continue making small changes.
Perhaps that best describes our approach to product development. We have never seen testing as a hurdle to clear. It has been one of the most interesting parts of the journey. Each test helps us understand the structure a little better and find the next thing to refine.
From the beginning, our ambition has been to build the Perfect Dome.
At the same time, we know that the Perfect Dome will probably never be finished. There will always be a detail to improve, a process to refine or a new lesson to bring into the next build.
But after two full-scale prototypes and more than a year of real weather, the question began to change.
No longer: Does this work?
Instead: How do we move from prototype to product?
During the summer of 2026, we selected three pilot partners from almost 100 applications from Sweden and abroad. The pilot year has now begun with installations in Hemavan, Åre and Borgafjäll.
Under sommaren 2026 valde vi ut tre pilotkunder bland närmare 100 intresseanmälningar från Sverige och andra länder. Pilotåret har nu inletts med installationer i Hemavan, Åre och Borgafjäll.
Tillsammans med våra pilotkunder kommer vi under det kommande året att vidareutveckla varje del av Scandinavian Domes – från materialval och hantverk till logistik, installation och långsiktig hållbarhet – inför den bredare marknadslanseringen 2027.