Your Private Sky Books

Read here about the two volume work "Your Private Sky," Lars Muller Publishers, which describes many aspects of tensegrity and one of its founding researchers, Richard Buckminster Fuller.

Overview

In 1999 Joachim Krausse and Clause Lichtenstein edited two volumes that provide a rich, graphic overview of Fuller’s career. Called "Your Private Sky," the first volume subtitled "The Art of Design Science" is packed with carefully reproduced graphics.

> "There is not a single page without a photo, a sketch, reproduction of a printed page. What this copious illustration allows the editors to do is to present a picture not only of Fuller himself but of his times as well, a way of inserting him into the larger cultural context as well as explaining his contribution to that context. For instance, the graphic style of the pages of Fuller’s journal Shelter tell us almost as much about the design ideas in the early 1930’s as the pages’ content.

The second companion volume, subtitled "Discourse," reprints about 25 of Fuller's own writings in which he expounds his world view and ideas about design. Some of these are important, previously unpublished works and key texts that are not easily available, such as Fuller's first essay, "Lightful Houses," a lecture on his Dymaxion House, his first papers on synergetic geometry, and his essay on tensegrity (1958). The book also includes a facsimile of his previously unpublished basic text on the construction of geodesic domes, "Noah's Ark #2."

Tensegrity 1958

The book features the full manuscript text of Tensegrity, 1958.

Eratta, Volume 1

Below are some errors that tensegrity researchers have identified in the first book.

p. 26

"1908. Death of father, Richard Fuller." Lorance writes in Becoming Bucky Fuller p.245, "...his father died on his fifteenth birthday. Fuller noted the fact on an envelope in //Chronofile//, vol. 17. He hand-dated the envelope 'March 23, 1917' and wrote on it: 'My Father Richard Buckminster Fuller died on my birthday July 12, 1910.'"

p. 28

"1927-28. Stockade Building Co. is bought by Cellotex, and RBF loses his position...." As Lorance writes in Becoming Bucky Fuller p.62, the spelling is Celotex, not Cellotex. Celotex was a Stockade competitor and did not acquire Stockade. Fuller's loss of his position was due to his father-in-law's withdrawal from the company, errors Fuller made, and other factors. As Fuller exited from Stockade, he interviewed with Celotex for a job, but was turned down.

"1927-28. Stockade Building Co. is bought... and RBF loses his position (resigns as president on 10 February...." Fuller As Lorance writes in Becoming Bucky Fuller p. 240, RBF resigned Stockade Building Systems position but remained president of Stockade Midwest. RBF letter to SBS Board of Directors, NY, NY February 10, 1927. //Chronofile//, vol. 32 (1927). Lorance also cites RBF letter to DeCoursey Fales, NY, NY, March 8, 1927. //Chronofile//, vol. 32 (1927), on p.241.

"1927-28. Stockade Building Co. is bought... and RBF loses his position... leaves November 1927...." Fuller was still active in Stockade business after November 1927. A few examples:

• a diary entry on 10 December 1927 reads, "RBF went to Waukegan at 11. Everyone there pleased with his activities during week. The flooring used over Stockade slabs very successfully tried out."
• a letter sent from RBF to Rasin on 17 December, 1927 reads, "I am no longer connected with the Stockade Building System, but am with its subsidiary Stockade Midwest Corporation… Stockade Building System passed into the hands of Farley Hopkins."
• a diary entry on 7 January, 1928 reads, "To Milwaukee to inspect Stockade house of A.J. Sweet..."
• many diary entries from January to March 1928 regarding issues with Stockade, though these may be lawsuits and negotations after ties between RBF and Stockade were broken. The last mention is 19 March 1928.

"Conversations about 'Fuller Houses,' December 1927." This is true; however, it is significant to note that the first mention is a diary entry by AHF Tuesday, Nov. 22: "Saw lngratiane [old Stockade salesman]] & talked about 'Fuller Houses'." Also note the first mention of the 4D company is on 28 August 1927.

Links and References

Lars Muller Publishers official website for Your Private Sky Volume 1, Volume 2.