Buckminster Fuller: Starting with the Universe

From his geodesic dome to books popularizing the terms “spaceship earth” and “synergetics,” the life mission of R. Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) was to create living environments that minimized consumption of the earth’s resources while maximizing interconnections with global systems of information and transportation. This book explores Fuller’s extraordinary body of work focusing on his wide-ranging and sometimes controversial role within the worlds of art, architecture, and utopian thought.

The book chronicles Fuller’s profound, often prophetic contributions, including his environmentally sensitive building designs. The essays illuminate the underappreciated thematic interactions of many sculptors, painters, musicians, and architects with this self-described “comprehensive anticipatory design scientist,” including contemporary artists wrestling with Fuller’s legacy today.

Yale University Press