Every year, big storms hit Houston, the fourth largest city in the USA. Wind and rain cause terrible damage. Because of this, in 2008, the city center had to close for almost a week. After that, some engineers had the idea of protecting the city center with a dome.

The dome would be taller than Houston’s tallest buildings, and it would cover about two square kilometers. Actually, it would not only be the tallest building in the world, but also the widest. The dome would be made with ETFE, a material that is like glass, in that light can pass through it, but is not nearly as heavy as glass. This material has already been used in buildings around the world. It is so strong that even winds of up to 289 km/h won’t damage it.

Unfortunately, it would be very difficult to build such a big dome. It would take many years and cost a lot of money. After being finished, there would be no rain to help the plants grow and to keep the streets clean. Also, because there would be no wind inside the dome, dirty air would stay there, and this could make people sick. For these reasons, the city of Houston has no plans to build it.

Is the dome an answer to Houston’s problems? Not now, but maybe someday.