Thursday, January 2, 2014

The Dymaxion House

Designed by R. Buckminster Fuller in the late 1920s, this house was not built until 1945. Its name was derived from three of Fuller's favorite words: DYnamic, MAXimum and tensION. The house used tension suspension from a central mast, sold for the price of a Cadillac and could be shipped internationally in its own metal tube.

Toward the end of World War II, Fuller attempted to strike a deal with Beech Aircraft to mass-produce Dymaxion Houses, thinking they would be the solution to the housing needs of returning military personnel, but design problems could never be worked out.

Only two prototypes were built. These were purchased by William Graham and used in 1948 in a hybrid version of the home in Wichita, Kansas. The home was donated to the Henry Ford Museum in 1991.

From thehenryford.org
The Dymaxion House
ucla.edu

Bird's-eye view
aqua-velvet.com

Interior
xoxiety.com
at

7 comments:

  1. Bill MJanuary 2, 2014 at 3:29 AM

    Looks like it came from outer space.

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  2. brismodJanuary 2, 2014 at 4:20 AM

    Amazing that it was designed in the 1920s. Very futuristic! xx

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  3. unmitigated meJanuary 2, 2014 at 6:34 AM

    I used to work at the Henry Ford. A few years ago, one of the family members who grew up in that hybrid home came to visit, and the kids who were touring the Dymaxion House with their school group got to ask him questions about growing up in it! It's my very favorite exhibit in the museum.

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  4. DearHelenHartmanJanuary 2, 2014 at 6:45 AM

    It's wonderful in so many ways. I went to a round church as a kid - ultra modern in the 70s, now to know the idea dates so far back makes me smile.

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  5. toveJanuary 2, 2014 at 11:52 AM

    Oh, I adore all the architectural experiments of the last century! Even if many of them were never considered very successful, the radical ideas are so inspirational. They're so full of optimism towards future possibilities. I wish we could experiment more, I think both Buckminster Fuller and other visionaries would be disappointed at how conventional our houses still are....

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  6. John BachmanJanuary 2, 2014 at 12:52 PM

    His earlier suspended house design had a space under the house to park a car. This was even more revolutionary than the second one. Hope your feeling better.

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  7. MickJanuary 3, 2014 at 12:14 PM

    I bet that turned heads in the farm lands of Wichita Kansas! So glad that it ended up as part of the Ford Museum vs a chicken coop!

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