Wikipedia
The Solardome greenhouse is an offshoot of the 1960s NATO developed early warning radar system. The Buckminster Fuller organisation designed and develop giant "golf ball" radar domes. In Europe these were placed in Fylingdales, North Yorkshire.
These giant domes had to withstand extremes of wind and storm and yet remain unaffected. An ex German U-boat engineer, Hans Lemke, living in Hunmanby North Yorkshire was fascinated by these domes and thought, "If they can withstand these weather conditions then they would make an ideal domestic garden building, greenhouse or garden conservatory". He explored the Buckminster Fuller Geodesic domes and their principles and then designed and manufactured the first European domestic Geodesic dome, a 14' 6" Solardome.
The first Solardome was produced in 1969 and production continues to this day, although not in Hunmanby.