Pioneering Geodesic Domes of T.C. Howard & Synergetics Inc.

[Chris Kitrick]

All, 

I had the pleasure of attending the IASS 2025 Symposium in Mexico City this week and presented a paper on T.C. Howard and Synergetics. For anyone interested in the early history of geodesic structure development I recommend reading the paper. The paper is now publicly available on the following link.

Cheers,

Chris

IASS (International Association of Shells and Spatial Structures)

[Dx G]

Chris,

 Very nice work and thanks for making it known and available to us all.  I rarely read long pieces in their entirety, but did this one, with interest.  I didn't notice any mention of tensegrity, although that was likely outside the scope, and unfortunately with a history that speaks to another one of Fuller's intellectual property transgressions. 

 I am curious about the lesser circle domes.  Obviously they are suitable for real world use, even on very large domes.  Although I looked back at some lesser circle dome threads on the list, all I saw were a lot of nice drawings, but almost no information on chord factors or dimensions. Do you know if the data a builder would need are available anywhere, or perhaps on file at NC State or via some other reference/review?  I'd like to learn more about their assets, and strongly suspect they would benefit from the Universal Strut Connector (USconn) I'm working on.

thx  Dx G

[Ashok Mathur]

In light of Dick’s Random, it is clear that the strength of geodesic domes has nothing to with the fact that verticies lie on geodesics of the dome. When random verticies work equally well, confining them to lesser circles  would be wasted effort!

Regards

Ashok

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[Dx G]

Ashok,

Well, that depends if if a lesser circle dome has any advantages, besides strength, with regard to the number and length variation of struts, panels sizes, truncation choices, etc.  For example, the triacon domes have as little as half the number of strut lengths as the Class 1 types for the same frequency, and the advantage increases quickly for higher frequencies.   Unless, of course, I misunderstand your premise?

Dx G

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[Ashok Mathur]

Dear Dx G 

You have correctly understood me.

Once you accept that geodesics have nothing to do with strength, You do not need to make your dome on truncations of icosahedrons.

You can arbitrarily decide how many struts of what lengths and similarly decide how many polyhedron you want in your dome.

Dream and build or confine yourself to truncations of icosahedron when that confers no strength advantage.

Ask if a single frequency icosahedron is stronger than a 3V model?

Regards

Ashok

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[Levente Likhanecz]

i would say  aesthetically pleasing is a good rule. but without immersing lifelong in working principles / mechanics may mean different levels of pleasing. (the educated guess i mean).

lately i've watched plenty vids of tree net buildings. not much calculation involved, just by eye:

and surprising strength

https://youtu.be/23uOmxP3QcA

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[Levente Likhanecz]

mesh-merizing patterns

[Dx G]

Levente,

 Tree net, very interesting.  I will be interested to review more of this.  I also wonder how well a suitable material might make excellent tensile reinforcement for a concrete type construct, or any advantage over common remesh wire.  Seems like the choice of the line material may be important, in particular, the coefficient of friction of the cable surface.  A slippery line may not grab as well and be more inclined to unravel if cut.

Ashok,

 Actually, I became more impressed with Class 3 domes when I learned how much stronger they are than various common domes.  The literature tells me that much of the strength comes from the lower variation of strut lengths, which supposedly provides a more uniform distribution of stresses/forces.  The ones that have a high number of struts that are exactly the same length, thus have many equilateral triangles, are also easier to fabricate for cutting, punching, etc. (thus fewer chord factors to deal with). This is a particular advantage when one is using surplus or "discard" strut/panel materials that are perfectly good and sometimes are available in lots all of the same size.     Flat truncations are problematic for Class 3's, but I always considered just taking the easy way out and using a sphere, buried in the ground at the desired point, perhaps a basement type arrangement.

Dx G

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[Ashok Mathur]

Dear Dx G

Thanks for the reply.

Anticipating it, I have posted on a software called Formian-K.

Later on I will post a question  as to why nature has no 4 way, 5 way, or 6 ways hubs.

Nature does only 3 way hubs with unequal size polygons with 7 to 13 struts joined with 3 way hubs.?

Regards

Ashok

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[Ashok Mathur]

The correct title of the book  and a small write up is given below

"Structure in Nature is a Strategy for Design" by Peter Pearce

Details:

• Author: Peter Pearce
• Publisher: MIT Press
• ISBN: 9780262660457 (paperback)
• Pages: 245 pages

This richly illustrated book explores how structural designs that occur in nature—in molecules, crystals, living cells, and galaxies—serve as inspiration for man-made structures, leading designers beyond the limitations of right angles and cubes into forms based on triangles, hexagons, and general polyhedra For Construction ProsKform.

The book is indeed widely used in US architecture schools and is known for its extensive illustrations and focus on geometric principles derived from nature. Peter Pearce worked closely with Charles Eames and Buckminster Fuller, and even edited the preliminary text of Fuller's "Synergetics" and prepared its illustrations For Construction Pros.

This book connects well with the Formian-K work you were asking about earlier, as both deal with geometric forms, structural systems, and the mathematical principles underlying spatial structures.

Regards

Ashok

[Levente Likhanecz]

Dx G - lesser circle domes,

i have worked out, that V4 lesser circle domes i can construct on the spot without painstaking computerwork.　

(in theory) i would use the black PE irrigation pipes with those blue lines on side what comes in coils of 1-2 hundreds of meters.　

(and it would be a Krushcke-like flat seater as well.) instead of chords may also use arc lengths. and instead of individual struts just drilling holes along the arc of the great circles and the lesser circles on the proper lengths. no hubs, just passing through bolts.

may be used as support frame under ran-dome. if "umbrellas" from softer material.　

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[Dx G]

Levente,

  Real good.  I've seen this approach in publications all the way back to the 1970's, typically using PVC pipe hoops.  I guess the key to actually doing it, (which is what I'm digging around for) is good information on chord factors, strut lengths, or in this case, the spacing between those holes.  Its about taking an idea and "reducing it to practice", for which one needs certain specifics...so that's where I'm trying to fill the holes in my understanding at the moment...unless I'm missing something important there.

thx

Dx G

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[Levente Likhanecz]

Dx G,　

the japanese stardome follows the same "mentality". drilling along. 　

"StarDome★" The official website of the most sophisticated bamboo dome

its a great circle only dome.　

with the mentioned PE irrigation pipe thinkering about heatforming (pressing into) steel measuring tape profile, that similar to these bamboo slices.

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[Levente Likhanecz]

Dx G,　

oh yes, the reducing to practice part.　

+learn from others' failures, not everything requires "try and miss" method, if someone has construction experience with different materials and engineering (mechanics) memories, many things can be rejected in advance, without wasting energy on v1.0, v2.0....

On Sun, Nov 2, 2025 at 4:18 PM Dx G <yipp...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Dx G]

Levente,

  Good example, but like all the others I've looked at, those hoop domes are always great circle domes. What I'm looking for, for now, are the data necessary to review and perhaps build lesser circle domes to better understand what assets they may have beyond the domes I'm already familiar with.  I just never worked with or considered them before as I review "other" domes, like Catalan solids, etc. which have their own unique assets.

thx  Dx G 

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[Levente Likhanecz]

you can design 4V lesser circle dome (if i am not mistaken about the lesser circles thing). but may be i made mistake, because my design is the hybrid of great circles and lesser circles, probably its a good o' 4V kruschke. only different approach to construct it from scratch:

 1. draw a 20 side circle, rotate copies (2. and 3.) to have that 3 green encircled vertices intersected triangle (these are great circles)

at the red encircled vertices you will have the radius of the single lesser circle (matte green - it's plain paralel to no. 1 equatorial great circle)　

　

these 2 circles have to populate around.

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[Dx G]

Levente,

  Thanks for your efforts on this.  I don't want to discourage you, since you might come up with something new and valuable. However, I do want you to be aware of the use of lesser circle domes that have a long track record, even with extremely large domes.  Kitrick referred to this in the paper he presented at recent meetings.  

https://groups.google.com/g/geodesichelp/c/GC87tWglZrs/m/b2UQdGfFAgAJ

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/397037578_Pioneering_Geodesic_Domes_of_TC_Howard_Synergetics_Inc

Here is a snip.

---------------------------------------------------

developed Charter Spheres in 1969, a dome design that resembles geodesic domes but are lesser circle
based and not polyhedral, and thus no longer infringed on Fuller’s geodesic patent. The Charter Sphere
design introduced an easier truncation topology and an overall simpler structure that required less
different members. Charter Spheres became the standard dome topology used from 1969 onward (fig.
8a-c), with the exception of the Poliedro dome in 1973. Later T.C. went on to develop a small-scale
version of the Charter Sphere dome concept that was sold as kits or by plan. 

------------------------------------------

I went into the NC State library archive to see if I could easily access the plans that were donated there.   I only saw one, for a 120 foot dome, but will look some more and see if I can find the smaller ones with lower frequencies, preferably under 5.

https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids/mc00565/contents?archival_object_id=5298723

I'm not sure which plans are there, and whether or not they contain the info I'm looking for, but if they are actually plans, I would think so.

Dx G

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[Gerry in Quebec]

Hi Dx G,

I haven't yet read Chris Kitrick's new paper, but you may want to contact Katrina Fairley, T.C.'s daughter, about the lesser circle domes he designed. Here's the link to her Synergetics Inc. FB page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057245394965

 Search on "Charter-Sphere" or "Vitra" (1975 dome for a car dealership).

On that FB page there is a bit of confusion, at least to my way of thinking, between geodesic domes and Charter-Sphere domes. In any case, the term "geodesic" dome has always been off-base because the structures Fuller made famous are based on flat triangles whose edges are chords (straight lines), not geodesics (curved lines).

 I don't know whether any of T.C. Howard's architectural plans for Charter-Sphere domes are available. But you asked about lesser-circle domes that might have useful properties. How about this: a dome, with a floor diameter of about 31 ft, whose bottom row of 12 up-pointing triangles can be cut from 4x8' sheets of plywood by ripping them on the diagonal? Internal bracing of these triangles is needed but the plywood waste would be zero. Another feature of the up-pointing triangles around the base is that they would be perfectly vertical, unlike most conventional geodesic domes. The down-pointing triangles in the base row would also make very good use of material, with just a few % of waste. The wastage for the remaining 24 triangles would be considerably higher.

Antiview screenshot attached: 6 chord factors, 48 triangular faces. Hard to compete with a simple 2v icosa hemisphere which has 2 chord factors and 40 faces -- unless you really want to hang pictures on the walls!

 -

 Gerry in Québec

[Dx G]

Hi Gerry,

 As usual, you do some nice work.  At first glance, I don't see any advantage of a dome like that, but will review it for assets more carefully. In particular, it may have some if set up for creased diamond panel domes, which I'm still working with.  Also, when using surplus or "waste" building materials, it pays to have the widest possible selection of domes to make maximum use of whatever sizes/dimensions are available.  If the sizes are right for a dome like that, I'd rather go with a complete structure than one that has to be pieced together.  Eventually, a computer program or, (shudder to think) an AI may be helpful in matching available materials to dome options.  Helping sort through a lot of data and pointing out options like that which us weeny humans may have overlooked seems to me a good use of such a tool. 

 I may get some answers on lesser circle domes if I can tap into the dome plans which may already be on file with NC State.  Seems like the Howards wanted them to be available to others...like us on the list.  If the plans don't specifically provide chord factors, I may be able to estimate them from dimensional data. 

 With respect to geodesics, I agree with you in terms of pure formal definition. However, what I find is that people consider a dome "geodesic" if the vertices fall on a sphere.  Some domes, like the Pent Dod, do not conform to that definition, but is likely very hard to tell from a 2f Class 2 Method three just by looking.  This is why one of my preoccupations is a Universal Connector (USconn), since a successful version can be used in any of them, certainly for prototyping, and with any luck, in permanent fabrication as well.

Dx G

[Ashok Mathur]

Dear Dx G

I am attaching an image from the book showing how bubbles form a 3 way only polygons.

Regards

Ashok

[Levente Likhanecz]

dear Ashok,

i remember an "american science" article from the late '80es. the shortest electricity grids problem (and telephony).　

there was a "soap bubble" computer. on a chipboard US map every town position was marked with a nail. then they submerged it in soapy water.

as they raised the board, the bubbles found the lowest surface tension state, which is happened to be very close to the shortest grid pattern. 　

　

something about finding "helper" points what makes 120° azimuts to points.　

　

meanwhile i found the article:　

teaser from it:

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[Levente Likhanecz]

the shortest network problem article is something about how bubbles tesselate between keypoints or something like this.

[Gerry in Quebec]

Hi Dx G,

Is this an example of the creased-diamond dome designed you mentioned you're working on? There's a similar dome at Walla Walla College in Washington. (Taff, aka David Price, did a SketchUp model of it several years back.) I've always wondered how such a "rough" dome surface might handle accumulated snow and ice loads in northern areas.

 - Gerry in Québec

 This file [photo] is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Neighborhood_Church_of_Chico,_April_2021.jpg

[Levente Likhanecz]

interesting strut material i found (the tripod legs made of), once china will sell it for peanuts:　

https://youtu.be/C7F4oIGgrGY

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[Paul Kranz]

I appended Neighborhood Church of Chico to Domes of the World:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=212647990607384677670.0004ad181506bbe39b599&msa=0

Paul sends...

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--

Very high regards,

 

Paul C. Kranz, LMFT

Kranz & Associates, LLC

ReviveTheFlame.com

[Levente Likhanecz]

2801 Notre Dame Blvd - Google Maps

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[Dx G]

Gerry,

 Yes, that Walla Walla dome is the creased diamond panel type.  I have a folder full of pictures of various such domes.  There was a big one at the South Pole for decades, which was taken down, with the parts placed in crates at some army base somewhere.  I think they went with a dome back then because it was made of aluminum, and that made flying the parts in way easier than any large permanent structure.   Especially so since there was little else there at the time.  Turns out, aluminum gets stronger as it gets colder.  Although I can certainly see how shapes like that can look like real snow traps, I suspect the load capacity is such that nobody is worried about it.  The ones I'm working on would not need the cross strut, but that would be an option if additional strength was needed. There have been several dome books that illustrate a surprising array of these, but of course any dome made from triangles can also be a candidate for those creased diamond panels.  It gets rather interesting matching the raw flat stock sizes to the finished panel size when trying to minimize fabrication waste, but actually does present some useful options.   That's something computers are good at once the data is input.

Dx G