Dome Village was a self-governing community of "people unable or ..unwilling to live in traditional omelessshelters". Located in Downtown Los Angeles at 847 Golden Avenue, the complex consisted of 20

geodesic dome A geodesic dome is a hemispherical thin-shell structure (lattice-shell) based on a geodesic polyhedron. The triangular elements of the dome are structurally rigid and distribute the structural stress throughout the structure, making geodesic do ...

s and was inhabited by "up to 34 individuals and their family members". Operated by Justiceville/Homeless USA, a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

, members of Dome Village were politically active in homelessness, nonviolence, and environmental issues.

History

Prior to becoming the Dome Village, the site was a shantytown inhabited by the homeless. In 1993, the village was founded by activist Ted Hayes. The village setting is intended to create stability for residents who live an otherwise-precarious existence. A song titled "People In Need" recorded by Gospel legend, Edwin Hawkins, Tramaine Hawkins and the Edwin Hawkins Singers was dedicated to the creation of Dome Village by The Benefit Network in 1988. In 1987, Tom "Beefbone" Bolema produced a benefit 12 inch single "Justiceville/Ted's Rap" featuring The Butchers and Electro-Shock. The song became the soundtrack for the video "Justiceville", produced by Gary Glaser, which documents the bull-dozing of a Ted Hayes encampment that preceded Dome Village. The dwellings were designed by architect Craig Chamberlain, a former student of

Buckminster Fuller Richard Buckminster Fuller (; July 12, 1895 – July 1, 1983) was an American architect, systems theorist, writer, designer, inventor, philosopher, and futurist. He styled his name as R. Buckminster Fuller in his writings, publishing mo ...

. The domes, which cost about $10,000 each and are easy to repair and maintain, are made of polyester

fiberglass Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass ( Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass clo ...

. Funding for the village provided by ARCO, a subsidiary of BP. On August 31, 2006, Hayes announced that the residents of Dome Village were being evicted and that domes would be auctioned off online. Residents, were given until October 2006 to get out, moved in traditional homeless shelters. They hope to recreate Dome Village elsewhere in Los Angeles with the proceeds from the auction.

Programs

Dome Village offered numerous programs for its residents, including workshops in

computer literacy Computer literacy is defined as the knowledge and ability to use computers and related technology efficiently, with skill levels ranging from elementary use to computer programming and advanced problem solving. Computer literacy can also refer ...

, jobseeking, legal issues, and

children's theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

, a

community art Community art, also known as social art, community-engaged art, community-based art, and, rarely, dialogical art, is the practice of art based in and generated in a community setting. It is closely related to social practice (art), social practice ...

program called Street Without a Name (SWAN), two

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by str ...

teams,

community garden A community garden is a piece of land gardened or cultivated by a group of people individually or collectively. Normally in community gardens, the land is divided into individual plots. Each individual gardener is responsible for their own plo ...

ing programs, and many others.

References

{{authority control 1993 establishments in California Buildings and structures in Downtown Los Angeles Former populated places in California Homelessness in the United States Homelessness organizations Human habitats Intentional communities in California Landmarks in Los Angeles Residential buildings in Los Angeles