Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1.1In the preparation of this document, particular mention should be made of the contributions of the following persons:
1.2 Carl G. Nelson, M.S. (Design), Southern Illinois University, who served as major research assistant and graphic coordinator of this work.
1.3 John Dixon, Washington, D.C., for specialized information sources.
1.4 Mrs. Naomi Smith, Personal Secretary to R. Buckminster Fuller, for her patient secretarial and typing work.
Other Volumes in the Series
1.5Other volumes in this series are:
1.6 Phase I (1963) Document One: Inventory of World Resources, Human Trends and Needs. by: R. Buckminster Fuller John McHale
1.7 Phase I (1964) Document Two: The Design Initiative by: R. Buckminster Fuller
1.8 Phase I (1965) Document Three: Comprehensive Thinking by: R. Buckminster Fuller
1.9 World Resources Inventory Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois, USA
PREFACE
1.10As Document Four in the World Design Science Decade 1965-1975 series, this volume is intended to expand further the exploration and documentation of the main themes set out in the other publications in the series. Its specific function within the program, and in relation to the VIII World Congress of the International Union of Architects for which it is prepared, is to provide some guide materials and notes on the forward phases of the ten year world students’ program.
1.11 This program was proposed by R. Buckminster Fuller to the International Union of Architects (IUA) at their VI World Congress in England in 1961. He suggested then that the architectural and environmental planning schools around the world be encouraged by the IUA to invest the next ten years in a continuing theme of ’how to make the world work’–how to redesign the world’s prime tool networks and environment facilities so as to make the world’s total resources, now serving only 44% of humanity, serve 100% through competent scientific design and anticipatory planning.
1.12 The first part of this proposal called for the initiation by the world schools of a beginning survey of the total chemical and energy resources now available to man on a global scale, and of human trends and needs in relation to these resources. To assist in the furtherance of such work we prepared Document One (1963), "Inventory of World Resources, Human Trends and Needs," which was presented to the world architects and students at their International Symposium in Mexico City, October, 1963. This ’inventory’ outlined the main aspects of man’s present world resource position and provided a broad survey of his major trends and needs relative to his resources.
1.13 Document Two (1964), entitled "World Design Initiative," dealt specifically with the manner in which the world students might assume the initiative, and gave procedural outlines and examples for the conduct of generalized design science exploration.
1.14 During 1964 there was a considerably increased response to the program by schools and student groups around the world. Various student projects on the first phase of the program, "World Literacy re World Problems", will be forwarded for exhibit at the VIII World Congress of the IUA in Paris, July 1965. The IUA has set aside exposition and conference space for this purpose.
1.15 For this Congress we have prepared two documents; Document Three - "Comprehensive Thinking" is a selection of the writings of Buckminster Fuller which includes a statement to the world students on the theme, ’Geosocial Revolution’; and the present document, fourth in the series, will be available at the Congress to aid in discussions on the forward implementation of the ensuing phases of the program with the world students and teachers.
1.16 It should be emphasized here that the overall planning and ultimate success of the ’World Design Science Decade’ rests with the world students’ initiative, encouraged and assisted by their schools, universities, and professional organizations.
1.17 This volume, though entitled "The Ten Year Program", is not intended to usurp that initiative, or in any way lay down definitive limits for the program’s forward development. It represents no more than a series of notes, trend indications and information sources which may be useful in assisting forward the overall evolutionary development. The role of the "World Resources Inventory" center at Southern Illinois University is essentially
1.18 that of a coordinating agency which may acquire, and disseminate, information in various areas and provide guide analyses of the world trending shown in the cumulative data. Such a function, during the initial gestation period of the world program, may be best performed by such a central agency. It is important to point out, however, that in the preparation of projects for the VIII World Congress, various student and school groups have spontaneously assumed the responsibility for coordinating work in their various countries.
1.19 In discussing more closely the forward phases of the ten year world facilities redesign program, it may be useful to append the outline of these which was published in Document Two (1964) "The Design Initiative" by R. B. Fuller.
1.20 Phase 1. World Literacy re World Problems - World Industrio-Economic Literacy and its design science solution by dramatic educational tools for realization of the world resources inventory of human trends and needs,–world’s people. Together with dramatic indication of potential solution, by design science upping of the overall performance of world resource units to serve 100% instead of the present 44% of humanity.
1.21 Phase 2. Prime Movers and Prime Metals - Review and analysis of world energy resources differentiation between ’income’ and ’capital’ energies - design of more efficient energy utilization. Analysis of circulation and scrap recycling of prime metals. Redesign towards comprehensive and more efficient use and reuse ’assemblies’ with higher extraction of performance per unit of all invested prime metals in use.
1.22 Phase 3. Tool Evolution - Differentiation and evolution of machine tools - the integration of these tools into the industrial complex; review and analysis of generalized and specialized tools - automated processes and control systems-redesign and replanning of total world tool complexes and instrumentation systems, i.e., total buildings, jig assembled by computer within optimum environment control air delivered ready to use in one helilift.
1.23 Phase 4. The Service Industries - Analysis of world network of service industries, i.e., telephone, airways, communication services, hoteling, universities. General extension of dynamic network operating principles into formerly ’static’ areas of environment control both internal and external. Frequency modulated, - world planning of three shift, 24-hour use of facilities, i.e., most industrial facilities as yet operating under obsolete agricultural dawn to dusk, single frequency usage. Trans-sonic 1800 mph air travel transcends day-night and seasonal characteristics. Men literally jump out of night into day and out of winter into summer in minutes. Thus, local patterns of facilities employ- ment trending swiftly into 24-hour succession of users, i.e., electrically lit telephone booths by roadside.
1.24 Phase 5. The Evoluting Contact Products - Usually phrased as ’end products’–there are, in effect, no end products but only the contact instruments of industrializations human ecology services which are the plug-in or latch-on terminals of service industries, e.g., the telephone, transportation and other communication units, the motel (bathroom and bed)–and eventually the world-around environ control service unit.
1.25 This outline has been employed as the main chapter headings for the present volume. In laying out these phases in successive increments we indicated that the continu- ing aspect of each increment stage should be considered as overlapping and interweaving with all the other stages, e.g., the first phase "World Literacy re World Problems" may be seen to be active in all phases. Phase 5, "The Evoluting Contact Products" is also, in a sense, integral with three, "Tool Evolution" and four, "The Service Industries", develop- ment. There are no artificial division between each stage; their separation is for con- venience or prior emphases only. Each phase should be viewed as an aspect of a continuous dynamic process out of which emerges a natural hierarchy of priority considerations.
1.26 In addition to the chapter texts, which explore and comment upon each phase, various other relevant items have been placed in appendices at the end of their appropriate chapters, e.g. the Geoscope development as an example of a ’dramatic educational tool’ relative to the literacy of world problems is placed at the end of Chapter One. This chapter, as of immediate concern, is given the greater space in the present volume.
1.27 Within the ’plan’ outline itself it may be noted that the various elements have their own ’time’ developments and priorities - of first things first. Phase One’s emphasis on the central function of education and communication in overall planning is based on the need for an informed world society–not only in the sense of recognizing its major problems and their possible solutions, but also in that the goals and values essential to such planning may only be established and adjusted according to the enormous range of future possibilities now available to world man. There are many possible alternative directions which now require his conscious choice, and collaborative participation in the implementation of directions chosen. No ’ideal solutions’, however seemingly efficient, may be imposed on man in the long term evolutionary sense.
1.28 Phase Two focuses upon the prior physical base of energy and materials which is required for evolution into Phase Three–the ordered development of tools to make tools which are the fundamental backbone of not only traditional industrialization but of the new ’agri-socio-industrial’ complex in which ’industrialization’ means not only the heavy ’capital’ industries but the inter-related ’tooling up’ of the network of chemical, biological and con- sumer industries which go to maintain the overall human ecological process. This extended industrial network leads naturally into the Service Industry Phase in which the main eco- logical service networks are viewed as encompassing many of urgently required facilities now operating at low efficiency as piecemeal autonomously isolated components, e.g., world shelter and health facilities. Such ’service’ industries are not ’product oriented’ industries - they do not produce things - but are the visible terminal facilities through which man ’taps into’ invisible support systems which are anticipatorily designed to meet the widest range of his requirements. The plug in or terminal facility we have called the Evoluting Contact Product–a concept which is increasingly more representative of industrial network function than the traditional ’end product’ in manufacture function–the responsibility extends beyond the supply of the product to the service-in-supply function.
1.29 As a planning outline this scheme may be employed in various ways.
1.30 1. As a take off point for a series of planning and development studies in which the various components of each phase are given different weightings and priorities. For example, if in examining Phase Four (The Service Industry) it seemed feasible to plan for the deployment of living facilities over a large area, we would then need to ask in Phase Three (Tool Evolution), "What kind of transportation systems might be necessary, and what kind of tooling up
1.31 and production facilities may be required?" If ’autonomous energy sources’ are indicated, this would refer back to Phase Two (Prime Movers).
1.32 In relation to such programming of objectives through the planning system, students will find it useful to consult the ’Universal Requirements Schedule’, of R. B. Fuller, in Document Two, also his ’Omni-Directional Halo’ papers in Document Three.
1.33 2. The content and sequence of subject matter in the outline may also be viewed as contributing to new curricular orientations in environment planning and design science studies. There is patently required for its fullest imple- mentation a framework of intensive studies which proceed methodically through the acquisition of knowledge and skills in a broad spectrum of disciplines to their employment in large scale systems research, development, and forward planning.
1.34 The forward work of the World Design Science Decade may thus be viewed as re- quiring a major shift of emphasis in the education of the architect and environment planner. It defines a much larger context of social initiative and responsibility, and charges the emergent architect and planner not only with designing the major ecological environment facilities required by man but also with designing the means whereby such full environ- mental advantage may be made available to all men.
1.35 John McHale Carbondale, Illinois May, 1965