• 407 S. Forest Ave., Carbondale, IL

Preserving Buckminster Fuller's Legacy

Who Was Buckminster Fuller?

Born in Massachusetts in 1895, Richard Buckminster Fuller, or “Bucky”, found a love for nature and public service from his family trips to Bear Island in Maine and this time instilled indelible values. Throughout his life, Fuller would patent 25 inventions, all centered around helping people. He saw a vision where human beings understood the planet from which they were created. A vision of the world where humans coexisted with Earth in a grander “living system,” where we could use the resources of planet without destroying them.

Bucky standing next to a hemispheric Dome Model
Fuller with a cardboard model of a 4v geodesic hemisphere

This same thought extended to people’s connection with society as a whole and the infamous trim-tab. A trim-tab is a smaller rudder on a larger rudder that improves the efficiency and overall effectiveness of a vessel, whether boat or plane. It does this by adjusting the angle, or direction of the ship. It is a small connection to a larger device and moves opposite to the larger device in order to enable the larger device to change the direction of the entire entity — a “contrarian” concept to produce the new direction. Without one, the vessel does not adapt as easily to its changing environment and is in greater danger of falling to the perils of nature.

Only one "Dome Home"

Currently there are over 500,000 geodesic domes worldwide, but most importantly, Bucky’s original Dome Home is being preserved in Carbondale, Illinois.

Construction of the original Dome Home featuring crew putting paneling together for the skylights

Architect, Author, Designer, Philosopher, Educator, Mathematician, Futurist Engineer, Entrepreneur, and Inventor.

The world needs and has individuals whom serve as trim-tabs, guiding it on a course to a better future. Buckminster Fuller was one of these individuals. His beliefs on connecting people and the world are what earned him his place in history. He inspired the modern movements to save our planet, without losing what we desire most. Progress towards a better future. Progress towards a better life.

Synergy

Buckminster Fuller is considered by many to be the father of the modern sustainability movement. He favored a systems approach to problem solving, and coined the term “synergy” to capture the principle that when one is engaged in cooperative action, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Dome Home Fun

Bucky realized the critical role humans play in their own success. He called for design solutions that do more with less, and challenged us to “make the world work for 100% of humanity.”

HOW

YOU CAN HELP

Right now there are two ways you can help support the completion of the restoration and continuing maintenance of the R. Buckminster Fuller Dome Home. We have an online store where 100% of the proceeds go to the restoration and maintenance of the Dome. You can donate directly with a PayPal Donation option. Any donation would be greatly appreciated and will help us keep this amazing treasure accessible to the public.

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