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| The Basic Plan |
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As you can see, we did not use AutoCad or even metric measurements for the fire room. After much research and many draft designs we decided that a round room, with an airlock on one side would be best for the following reasons:
- mainly curved surfaces means heat should disperse around the building (less surfaces and angles for heat to trap and focus)
- structure can be self supporting without need for metal or wood reinforcement which reduces cost and the problem of protecting these materials from heat and fire
- it looks great and is less imposing on the landscape
- we think round buildings are easier to make
Also, building above ground was a better option for our circumstances. Being in a wombat inhabited area means that an underground bunker would be prone to midnight wombat invasions and territory wars, not to mention the problem of waterproofing and keeping the room dry.
The basic shape was inspired by my misinterpretation of a photo of a watertank with simple airlock built on to it from the following site:
http://www.babble.com.au/2009/02/09/nagging-wife-saves-family-from-bushfire/
