Rare dome home in Inver Grove Heights is a futuristic throwback to another era

Want to live in a futuristic icon from another era? Consider a geodesic dome home, a midcentury building style that's finding new converts today.

After the 1979 oil embargo and energy crisis, there was a boomlet of dome homes built around the country. The circular dwellings were extremely energy-efficient, with an aerodynamic shape designed to withstand storms, high winds and earthquakes.

It was 1983 when Jovanka and Larry Koury decided to build a dome home on acreage in Inver Grove Heights.

"My husband is very much into science and sci-fi," said Jovanka. "It was a choice between a spaceship and a dome — and I chose a dome."

She soon came to love their unusual home, with its open floor plan and a wall of triangular windows that showcased the nature around them.

"There's a lot of natural light. When it snows, it's heavenly, like being in an enchanted place," she said.

Their dome also has a walkout lower level, with a bar, where her husband and son enjoyed playing their musical instruments, she said. In addition, there's a loft with skylights overlooking the main living area, as well as decks on two levels.

The Kourys recently moved to a senior living community and put their beloved dome home on the market for $445,000.

"We're too old to keep up with it," Jovanka said. "I miss the home, especially sitting on the upper deck listening to the crickets, frogs and birds."

Dome homes remain rare. There are about 90 in the Twin Cities and about 250 in the greater metro area, including western Wisconsin, according to one industry estimate.

This home's best features are its unusual architecture, its energy efficiency and its versatility, said real estate agent Sheryl Petrashek, Re/Max Results. The upstairs loft, for example, was used as an owners' suite by the Kourys, but it could also serve as a family room or office. In addition to the loft, there are three other bedrooms and three bathrooms.

There's also an oversized attached two-car garage with breezeway, and an updated kitchen with a full wall pantry and stainless-steel appliances.

"It looks cool," Petrashek said of the house. "It's a really unique home that envelops you with a peaceful, tranquil feeling. You feel wrapped differently than in a home with a lot of sharp angles."

Sheryl Petrashek, 612-889-6496, Re/Max Results, has the listing. She plans to host an open house 1 to 4 p.m. June 23, 11804 Akron Av., Inver Grove Heights.

Kim Palmer • 612-673-4784

@stribkimpalmer