Design Academy Eindhoven: Lecture Buckminster Fuller - October2007

Euphoria of Scale,Euphoria of Meta Thinking

Richard Buckminster Fuller’s Multiple Science & Design Paradigms

Sunday, June 21, 2009

engineers scientists

designers

External knowledge

Internal knowledge

Transform world

Understand world

Machines

Users


Richard Buckminster Fulleranticipatory design scientist

1895-1983


anticipatory design science


Fuller’s Formative Years: the 1920s

(Vertical Central Axis Structures & the 4D Principle)


“In architecture form is a noun;in industry form is a verb.”


The 4D principle

(e=mc2)


26% of earth’s surface is dry land.

85% of all earth’s dry land is here shown.

86% of all dry land shown is above equator.

The whole of the human family could stand on Bermuda.

All crowded into England they would have 14sq. mtr. each.

“United we stand, divided we fall”

is correct mentally and spiritually but

falacious physically or materially.

2,000,000,000 new homes will be required in the next 80 years.

Richard Buckminster Fuller, 1928


We are concernedwith mooring first class habitation

to the earth’s surface.


“Ferro-concrete architecture may be likenedunto the plastic cocoon of the archaic wormfrom which will emerge the 4D butterfly.”


dimaxiondynamism maximum ions

“it just emerged”


Norman Bel GeddesPatent model car no.9, 1934

Richard Buckminster Fuller4D Car > Dymaxion Car, 1933


Dymaxion Car no.1, july 1933


1933


Wichita Dwelling Machine


1 2

3 4


Fuller’s Prototypical Years: the 1940s

(Discoveries and/or Inventions)


500.000 BC - 1850

(against forces)

1850-1950

(transitional)

1950 >>

(natural)

Man on Earth: transport species


Dymaxion World Map


Erich Haeckel - Radiolarien


“In December of 1950 the prototype of a specializedgeodesic structure was built in Montreal. When the

structure was completed we looked up at the blue skythrough this thing and began to realize that somethingvery pleasantly exiting was happening to us. We knewthat it was light, knew that it was strong, but we did

not know that it was going to do just that to a blue sky.”

Richard Buckminster Fuller


Fuller’s ‘Landed’ Years: the 1950s and 1960sThe Geodesic Domes

(Blessings of the Cold War)


Fuller’s Late Years: the 1960s and 1970s“Eminence Grise”

(Usurping the Legacy, Enhancing the Legacy)


Nicolas Grimshaw - Eden project, Cornwall UK


“Reshape the Environment;don’t try to reshape Man.”


Design Academy Eindhoven: Lecture Buckminster Fuller - October2007

Education

Transcript of Design Academy Eindhoven: Lecture Buckminster Fuller - October2007