Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-26
'DYMAX|ON' HOUSE |
HAS ULTRA DESIGN.
Features Amaze Architects
f at Exhibit-Fashioned
~ on Yacht Plan.

The model of house. fashioned after
q yacht and having the features of a
suspension bridge, equipped with ultra
ultra modern convenienceS, designed to
be sold for about $4,000 and capable of
being assembled on a small plot of land.
was exhibited at the Mayf1Ower Hotel In
conjunction with the sixty-second an
nual convention of the American In
stitute of Architects, which has just
closed.
Buckminster Fuller of Chicago, de-
signer Of the novel structure, which he
terms the "dymaxion house"-from the
words dynamics, maximum and dimen-
sion--holds numerous patents on the
house plans. which include. as some Of
the startling features, walls made of
milk product that is translucent, pneu-
matte floors a hangar in the lower part,
the whole declared to be earthquake
and tornado proof. and equipped with
radio. There isn't brick or stone
In the whole place. for it is designed
on the basis of dynamicS. with duralu-
min tubes, inflated like an automobile
tire to make them rigid, forming the
framework and the whole thing hung
from tripod Of duralumin masts, set
IN concrete.
Viewed by Architects.
Groups of architects passed through
Mr. Fuller'S room to hear him explain
the manifold features Of his unusual
house and see first the skeleton form OF
the structure and then to view the
working model and express wonderment
at this house which might be previ-
sion of the twenty-first century.
Inhabitants of the dymaxion house
under the Fuller plan, could sleep with
out bed coverings, If desired, as health
measure to enable air to reach the pores
Of the body. for it is equipped with air
purifiers designed to eliminate dust and
the whole body of air is arranged to
move slowly through the house, with
out drafts.
The house has It's own septic tank for
sanitation, possesses its own generating
plant and is heated by electricity and
is thoroughly insulated. Casein, by
product of milk and designed to be
waterproof and acid proof and capable
of being made into various colors, forms
the outside Of the house. The parti-
tons are combination of utility and
wall construction.
Under Mr.. Fullerss plan many OF the
things that one associates with the
ONCE are found IN the creative" por-
ton of the structure. which corresponds
to the library. There Is found the,
mimeograph, the typewriter and other
modern utilities. The closets are de-
signed on a revolving basis, so that
the shelves, always keeping the same
level, will reyolve upward to the eye and
hand level. for convenience.
Elevator Is Provided.
within the tripod backbone of the
structure that runs up through the
center Of the building Mr. Fuller has
devised q triangular elevator that is
worked with q small motor or can be
manipulated with hand crank If nec-
eSsary.
In the laundry soiIed clothes are put
into the electric washing machine i'm
mediately and passed through drier,
under the Fuller arrangement on the
theory that they viii be ready for IRON
Ing as soon SIS needed. The floors OF
the house are arranged by Mr.. Fuller
on d pneumatic basis, acting as a
sound and temperature insulation. The
lighting system Is of the indirect char
acter. and there is an, arrangement In
the model whereby various color conbi-
nations In the lighting can be effected.
M. Fuller explained that there are
no immediate plans for mass produce
ton 0f these houses, but that 1t Is an
ticipated this viii be done. The major
cost viii be in producing the first
model, he said, but when the dymaxion
houses are constructed on q mass pro-
duction basis, they viii sell for about
So, 600.