Artifacts of R. Buckminster Fuller (Set)
A four-volume Garland reference set — The Artifacts of R. Buckminster Fuller: A Comprehensive Collection of His Designs and Drawings, edited with descriptions by James Ward (1985). It reproduces Fuller's artifacts as a chronological primary-source catalog, carrying his work from the 1926 Dymaxion experiments through the geodesic revolution to the end of his life.
The set
- Editor: James Ward (edited with descriptions)
- Publisher: Garland Publishing, New York and London (1985)
- Form: comprehensive catalog of Fuller's designs and drawings, reproduced with editorial descriptions
- In-repo copy: four volume source trees plus a parent index, each with text and ebook conversions
The set is organized chronologically across two thematic arcs — the Dymaxion period and the Geodesic Revolution — split into four volumes.
The four volumes
| Vol | Subtitle | Period |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Dymaxion Experiment | 1926–1943 |
| 2 | Dymaxion Deployment | 1927–1946 |
| 3 | The Geodesic Revolution, Part 1 | 1947–1959 |
| 4 | The Geodesic Revolution, Part 2 | 1960–1983 |
Significance
Ward's set is the most complete documentary record of Fuller's built and drawn output, treating the artifacts themselves — patents, drawings, models, prototypes — as the primary evidence of his design program. It complements the narrative biographies and his own writings with the underlying objects, making it a reference backbone for the rest of the collection.
See Also
- Vol. 1: The Dymaxion Experiment — 1926–1943
- Vol. 2: Dymaxion Deployment — 1927–1946
- Vol. 3: The Geodesic Revolution, Part 1 — 1947–1959
- Vol. 4: The Geodesic Revolution, Part 2 — 1960–1983
- Inventions — companion catalog of Fuller's patented works
- The Dymaxion World of Buckminster Fuller — Marks's documentation of the same projects
- James Ward — editor of this catalog
Sources
- artifacts-of-r-buckminster-fuller (raw pointer)
- artifacts_of_r_buckminster_fuller/ — in-repo set index (list of volumes)