Buckminster Fuller: the Dymaxion Bathroom & House

Dymaxion Bathroom

Buckminster Fuller was a 20th century inventor and visionary who did not limited to one field of expertise. He worked as a ‘comprehensive anticipatory design scientist’ to solve global problems. And one of the problems he chose to work on was the toilet.

He devised a four, stamped sheet metal or plastic commode that was light enough to be carried by two workers. They’ll fit up tight staircases and through narrow doors, allowing retrofitting in existing structures. All the appliances, pipes, and wires are built-in, limiting on-site construction to simple instillation hook-up.

With this configuration the interior has no germ-harboring nooks, crannies, or grout cracks.

This focus on sanitation was part of a larger effort known as the Dymaxion House which was meant to use a minimum of materials to provide maximum living space.

What It’s Like to Be a Woman In a Man’s World

What It’s Like to Be a Woman in a Field That’s Still 99 Percent Male Nina MacLaughlin. (Photo: Beowulf Sheehan)

In 2008, journalist Nina MacLaughlin quits her desk job of seven years with no plan for what to do next. Though she had no experience to speak of she jumped at the chance to apply to a Craigslist job posting for a carpenter’s assistant. She was especially heartened by the tagline “Women strongly encouraged to apply,” and sent off her application right away.

She got the job, and has been a carpenter in Cambridge, Massachusetts, ever since.

In her new memoir, ‘Hammer Head: The Making of a Carpenter’, MacLaughlin tells us her experience of abandoning her desk job and the satisfaction and joy of learning to work with her hands. She spoke with the Cut about what her career switch taught her about ambition, how working as a carpenter changed her own femininity, and what it’s like to be a woman in a field that’s still 99 percent male.

To read the full interview click the photo or click here.

The Million Dollar Cave Man

From the Lascaux caves to the Palace of Versailles, France is home to some of the most unique and cherished one-of-a-kind dwellings in the world.  But for the past 25 years, Ra Paulette (sounds French) has been carving out man-made caves from the sandstone hills of New Mexico, USA. Driven by passion, not profit he sculpts these spaces into works of art he calls wilderness shrines. In one case he only charged a client 12 dollars and hour for his labor. Yet 2 of his caves along with the 200 acres around them are selling for close to a million dollars .

Vive l’amour!

 

From Snore to Sensational – Bring a Touch of Magic to Your Bathroom Shower

One can argue very few would find the above video interesting. Only the true construction aficionado would be captivated.

Enter the following article:

Heat sensitive shower tiles change colours as it warms up

Heat sensitive tile construction inspired by the Aurora Borealis. Now were talking!

 

Easy DIY Cabinet Space Saver You Can Do!

In Paris, every square centimeter is precious. This is a fun article on how to gain more cabinet space with an easy DIY project. And for the carpentry lovers out there, read on for some interesting facts concerning the trusty ol’ 16 penny nail.

At Koko's Place

picstitch (7) Ooooh…Ahhhh… Cute polka dots!

Organizing is always on the forefront of my mind. For me it just makes sense. I can find things and easily store things and that makes my life run smoothly.

Is your cupboard full of coffee mugs; stacked one on top of the other? Mine was a mess. And I worried that they’d chip being cramped in such a small space. Also I couldn’t showcase how cute my cups were. This is what I did to free up valuable cabinet space as well as something pretty to look at and make me smile…

I took some paper (taped pieces together to make it large enough) and made a template. I then measured out how far apart I wanted the cups. Keeping in mind to give room so the cups don't hit the back of the wall. I took some paper (taped pieces together to make it large enough) and made a template. I then measured out how far apart I wanted the cups (see orange dots). Keeping in mind to give room so the cups don’t hit the back of the wall.

After the template was made I taped it…

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