The obvious advantage of the folded plate dome is that the surfaces are easier to form because they are flat. On the other hand, for slab spans over 16 ft, the shell wall is thicker than a curved surface because bending must be considered. The acoustical properties of a structure with plane surfaces are much better since the sound rays do not come to focus. This characteristic may be enough to make the folded plate dome superior to the curved dome for use in an auditorium.
The structural design of folded plate domes follows that of folded plate barrels. Slab elements are designed first and loads are carried to the fold lines. These forces are then carried by direct compressive stresses by the fold lines acting as struts in a space structure.