Chapter 1
The turning point and the Dymaxion vision
Chapter 2
Master of the geodesic dome
Chapter 3
Spaceship Earth and mapping the world
Chapter 4
The buckyball and a lasting legacy
YOUR GOAL
Master of The wild world of Buckminster Fuller
Ch 3 · Spaceship Earth and mapping the world
schopenhauer Dymaxion Map and Spaceship Earth
We steer this spaceship, one big island on the map — (unfolded flat!)
schopenhauer Fuller created the World Game as a cooperative alternative to war games, aiming to distribute resources equitably.
schopenhauer The Dymaxion Map projects the world onto a 20-sided shape, showing continents without size distortion or split landmasses.
Fun Fact
One-world island: On Fuller's Dymaxion Map, you can view all of Earth's continents as one continuous strip of land without any gaps.
Glossary
dymaxion map (noun)
A flat representation of the global surface projected onto a polyhedron that can be unfolded with minimal distortion. Buckminster Fuller patented this cartographic projection in 1946 and later collaborated with Shoji Sadao to refine it.
A flat representation of the global surface projected onto a polyhedron that can be unfolded with minimal distortion. Buckminster Fuller patented this cartographic projection in 1946 and later collaborated with Shoji Sadao to refine it.
Quiz
In which decade did Buckminster Fuller publish "Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth"?
Quiz
What is the main advantage of the Dymaxion Map over the traditional Mercator map?
Quiz
Which technology did Fuller use to illustrate "doing more with less" replacing heavy copper wires?
Quiz
What was the primary goal of Buckminster Fuller's "World Game" created in 1961?
Quiz
What word did Fuller invent to describe the trend of doing more with less material?
Quiz
What famous metaphor did Buckminster Fuller use to describe Earth as a finite, shared vessel?
Quiz
How many sides does the 3D shape (icosahedron) have before it is unfolded into a Dymaxion Map?