Buckminster Fuller’s Fly’s Eye Dome is a 24-foot geodesic structure in Miami’s Design District, at 140 NE 39th St. Its honeycomb frame has hexagonal openings that draw the eye to the sky and the surrounding courtyard, giving you plenty of angles for photos. Fuller conceived the design as a portable, affordable home, and the structure is now displayed as an artwork among the district’s shops and outdoor installations. Look around the courtyard for cafés, shaded seating and other places to pause.
A dome designed as a home
Buckminster Fuller designed the Fly’s Eye Dome as a model for affordable, portable housing. The original concept dates to 1965. Its openings were intended to accommodate solar panels and systems for collecting water, tying the structure’s unusual shape to practical functions.
Before Fuller died in 1983, three prototypes were built by hand, in 12-foot, 24-foot and 50-foot sizes. The 24-foot dome on display in the Miami Design District is a later public artwork based on that design.
Look through the hexagonal openings
The dome’s geodesic frame forms a honeycomb pattern. Each hexagonal aperture creates a different view of the sky or the surrounding Design District, so moving around the structure changes what appears in the frame. The openings also make the dome a natural subject for photographs.
A staircase inside lets you explore the structure from within. Take time to look at the pattern from more than one angle, then step back to see the dome in the courtyard setting.
Finding it in the Design District
The dome is at 140 NE 39th St #001, in a courtyard within the Miami Design District. You can reach the courtyard through a pedestrian alleyway or park beneath it. The surrounding area has high-end shops, cafés and other outdoor artworks, as well as shaded benches where you can take a break.
The courtyard can feel hot and crowded, so the shaded seating is useful if you plan to spend time exploring. The structure is illuminated at night, which gives you a different setting for photographs.
FAQ
Where is Buckminster Fuller’s Fly’s Eye Dome?
It is in the Miami Design District at 140 NE 39th St #001, Miami, Florida. You can reach the courtyard by pedestrian alleyway or park underneath it.
How long should I spend there?
Allow 1 to 2 hours to explore the wider Design District if you are not spending much time shopping.
When is the best time to see the dome?
Visit at night to see it illuminated.
Can you go inside the Fly’s Eye Dome?
A staircase inside lets you explore the structure from within.
