American architect, engineer, and designer Richard Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) who used architecture, design, geometry, engineering, science, and cartography in his work, spent much of the early 20th Century looking for ways to improve human shelter. He did this by applying modern technological know-how to shelter construction, making shelter more comfortable and efficient while being economically available to a greater number of people.
Fuller carefully examined, and improved, interior structure equipment, including the toilet (similar to the ones now used in airplanes), the shower (which cleans more efficiently using less water), and the bathroom as a whole. He studied structure shells and devised a number of alternatives, each less expensive, lighter, and stronger than traditional wood, brick, and stone buildings.
Geometry was key to his architectural design, Fuller developed a system that he named 'Synergetics.' One of his most famous creations using this principle were the geodesic domes (see pictured right), I find the structure impressive, innovative, and aesthetically pleasing. Fuller had discovered that when a spherical structure was created from triangles, it would have unparalleled strength. The spherical structure of the dome allows air and energy to circulate without obstruction which enables heating and cooling to occur naturally. I am interested in how this could translate into a design for a carbon-neutral dwelling so will consider a dome structure for my final outcome.
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