Wonder, guide to Design of Wholeo Dome

Wonder, the guide, first read Caroling's 1977 article in Glass magazine, Liberating the Handmaiden, about the design of Wholeo Dome as stained glass lib. It says that in 1967, "I wanted not to look at a window, but to be in a window." On New Year's Eve, I made the model shown above, where a wax stick figure sits within a translucent dome frame. About seven years later, Caroling and Wonder sat in Wholeo Dome, a dream come true. Design work proceeded in stages and was not done until the dome was finished. In a sense, design virtually continues, bringing Wholeo alive on the web.

Patchwork, figure and ground switch

The basic design intention was patchwork. To present many stimulating images, superimposed so that none become the background.That is so the person viewing can select what he/she wishes to see, concentrate on that and allow the rest to be a ground. Any attempted map of a whole person would leave something out. Thus only the viewer can create the whole feeling. For a specific example, see the pattern in the aqua arc.

Structure, holding the glass and lead up

In the Wholeo Dome exhibit, the History section tells how the structure came about. Under Wholeo Dome location, there's a frame page.

Arcs, color structure

A fisheye view from the middle of the dome shows the arcs {medium or large).

Designs coming from universal mind, might take years to understand, to become conscious of their meaning. Call this unconscious design, if you wish. After Wholeo Dome was finished, it took two and a half years to clearly explain the arcs of color.

See also: Ideas, environment, roots, and surround. Back to the Wholeo Dome guide start page.