An architectural building block including a generally triangular block having an outer wall, an inner wall disposed in substantially parallel configuration with respect to the outer wall and three side walls, each adjoining the outer wall and the inner wall. One of the side walls includes dual inverse mirror planes and each of the other two of which includes a single inverse mirror plane. At least one the side walls is configured to be positionable so as to mate with a side wall of an abuttingly disposed block, whereby curved structures may be constructed from a plurality of such blocks to form a dihedral angle between each set of two blocks. In one embodiment, the inner wall further includes at least one depression disposed on the inner wall of the block.

A tornado shelter and having a reinforced monolithic construction resulting from a single pour of concrete is described herein. Rebar extends upwardly from a base. The rebar is encased in concrete that forms the walls of the shelter. An upper portion of the rebar extend above a top surface of each of the walls. The upper portion of each of said rods are bent inwards and are also encased in the single pour of concrete for strengthening a ceiling portion of the shelter. A door, in-wall conduits, vent orifices and attached benches may also be provided.

A relocateable wind resistant modular ISO container structure preferably includes a plurality of ISO containers, two modular end walls and a modular roof. An upper ISO container is secured to a lower ISO container with a plurality of twist lock connectors and a plurality of container bridge fittings to form a plurality of ISO blocks. The modular roof includes a plurality of arch panels and a plurality of arch connectors. The plurality of arch panels are attached to each other with fasteners to form a roof panel. The plurality of arch connectors are attached to opposing ends of the roof panel to form a modular roof. A gutter may be secured to opposing ends of the modular roof. The end wall is retained between the first and second ISO blocks. The end wall is preferably fabricated from a metal corrugated panel or a reinforced metal panel.

The invention is a system and method for building a polar zonohedron structure from precast cement panels. The building system may include a plurality of panels configured to register with each other. Each panel includes a precast cement base with side walls enclosing a cavity within the precast cement base. The panels include at least one ridge protruding from at least one surface of a side wall of the panel and at least one aperture on at least one surface of a side wall of the panel. Each ridge is preferable configured to interlock with each aperture; in his way, the panels interlock with each other to form the polar zonohedron structure.

There is currently a demand for buildings that can be formed both quickly and economically. These buildings require the addition of heat insulation to walls or roofs because the materials from which they are otherwise formed have insufficient ability to protect against the cold. This can add undesirable expense and slow down production rates. A method is disclosed of forming a building that addresses this problem. The method comprises arranging a door frame, window frame or edge support frame at a mould and spraying a first spray material onto the outside of the mould so that the spray material sets generally in the shape of the mould and substantially embeds the frame. The first material and the frame is removed from the mould and a second different spray material is sprayed onto the first spray material to provide a skin therefor.

A geodesic dome accessory having an accessory frame that utilizes a base frame and an upper frame. The base frame is attached to the frame of the geodesic dome on interior to the frame. The upper frame attaches to the base frame and secures the membrane of the geodesic dome between the upper frame and the base frame, providing a weather resistant or tight seal. The base frame forms an opening to access from the exterior of the dome to the interior. The upper frame can be in a variety of configurations, including a window, door, vent passage, or stove pipe passage. The structural framing of the dome can remain with the base frame in the shape of the opening between frame elements, such as a window, or the framing can be removed with the accessory base frame forming the structural support replacing the standard framing, such as a door.

An exemplary modular building component disclosed herein includes at least three side walls connected to each other to form a frame structure having an open exterior end and an open interior end, in various aspects. Each of the side walls includes a mating inner structural wall and an outer pivoting wall, in various aspects. The structural wall and the pivoting wall each include a top end and a bottom end, wherein the pivoting wall bottom end is adapted to pivotably engage the structural wall bottom end, in various aspects. A tautened fabric material covers the frame structure exterior end and is secured to each pivoting wall, in various aspects. The fabric is tautened over the frame structure exterior end as each pivoting wall top end is pivoted into abutment with its mating structural wall top end, in various aspects. Related methods are disclosed.

A corrugated metal plate comprises a plate configured to define a series of crests and troughs, where the plate has longitudinal edges extending parallel to longitudinal axes of the crests and the troughs and transverse edges extending orthogonally to the longitudinal axes of the crests and the troughs. The corrugated metal plate further comprises at least one of: at least one longitudinal flange extending from each longitudinal edge, and at least one transverse flange extending from each transverse edge.

A method of assembling a corrugated structure formed of corrugated metal plates. The corrugated structure may include corrugations extending transversely of the longitudinal length of said corrugated structure. At least some of said corrugated metal plates may include a longitudinal flange extending from each longitudinal edge and a transverse flange extending from each transverse edge. At least some of the flanges may include alignment features. The method includes: bringing adjacent plates into abutting relationship such that alignment features on adjacent plates matingly engage; installing fasteners through aligned holes to secure abutting plates; and repeating said bringing and said installing as necessary until said corrugated structure is assembled.

A modular infill panel system for attaching to vertical structural members of a building frame and adjacent modular infill panel units. The modular infill panel system is capable of creating piecewise curves in the vertical plane as well as complex piecewise three-dimensional curves in a combination of horizontal and vertical planes. The modular infill panel system can include vertically stacked modular infill panel units. The modular infill panel units can be vertically aligned and attached to the building's structural columns by bracket assemblies mounted along one or more outside edges of the top frame member of the structural frame of the modular infill panel units. The bracket assemblies can secure the modular infill panel unit to the vertical structure of the building and alignment pins projecting upward from the bracket assemblies can align vertically adjacent modular infill panel units.