George is active in using rapid prototyping (RP) technology for a range of purposes, including art, math, and education.

His web page collects in one place some of the models he has designed, with links to papers that have further information about the algorithms, etc. Files for most of these models are provided, which are available for free download so that you can replicate these intricate geometric forms on your own RP machine, as long as you give George design credit when displaying them.

As former artist in residence at MIT, George is also a gifted educator working all over the world and at the leading edge of where mathematics and art intersect. A tour of his website will undoubtedly amaze and inspire all who have interest in this vital subject.

georgehart.com

The stunning Climatron® conservatory has become a symbol of the Missouri Botanical Garden. The geodesic dome was inspired by the design of R. Buckminster Fuller.

Covering over a half-acre, the Climatron houses some 1,200 species of plants in a natural, tropical setting. Visitors enjoy bananas, cacao, and coffee trees, plus a collection of orchids and epiphytes. The Climatron is also home to a variety of animals, including tropical birds. Several pools and waterfalls give a sense of lushness, as if visitors were within a true tropical rainforest. The Climatron is ever-changing and is an impressive display throughout the year. Learn about plants and their roles in global and regional ecosystems with computerized, interactive exhibits in the attached Brookings Interpretive Center.

For more info: desertnews.com article
mobot.org article

With its great arching dome and its semi-circular office building, the ASM International Headquarters conveys the imaginative force that marks ASM.

Started in 1958, completed in 1959 and formally dedicated in 1960, one outstanding feature of the building is the geodesic dome or "space lattice" designed by R. Buckminster Fuller. A symbol of man’s mastery of his metal resources, the open-work dome made of extruded aluminum stands 103 feet high and 250 feet in diameter, weighs 80 tons and contains more than 65,000 parts. The dome is ornamental and open, honeycomb-like, and stands on five pylons, two of which rise up from courtyards set into the building.

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Via Inhabitat.com

A proposition by One Architecture, Ton Matton and NL Architects, comissioned by the Dutch government, for a next generation windmill. The proposed mill is shaped like a tree and can hold up to 8 turbines and be as high as 120 meters! A tree shaped mill is less intrusive in the flat Dutch landscape than the mill-parks they use.

via Inhabitat

From Architecture to Artful Furniture Design: Designers innovative pieces are informed by the works by Fuller, Safdie, and Van Der Rohe. by Staff | Interior Design | August 2, 2006

In the 19th century, Chicago architect Louis Sullivan coined the phrase "form follows function." Today, the Chicago Furniture Designers Association borrows the still-relevant words to dub its latest exhibit. "Form Follows Form, Architecturally Inspired Furniture," which will be held September 21—October 28, presents the creations of Chicago designers that honor the tradition and the institution of architecture itself. Suddenly, the act of building furniture takes on a whole new meaning, as designers integrate architectural concepts into their pieces. The show will be held in the Upper Level Sculpture Gallery in the Paul V. Galvin Library at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Entries are still be entered for the juried show, but some designs of note are already in the lineup, including a Buckminster Fuller-inspired chair by John Kriegshauser that is so structurally efficient, it weighs less than 3 pounds but can support a large man; a infinitely reconfigurable coffee table by Robert Frazier that takes it cues from Moshe Safdie; Dolly Spragins's whimsical "Windy City," inspired by the elasticity of skyscrapers; and Lisa Elkins's coffee table, which references Mies Van Der Rohe's Crown Hall.  READ MORE »

Elegant looking indeed, but what will make this vertical wind turbine perform any diffferent than other vertical axis sytems that have apperared over the years, only to receed quietly into obscurity. Common knowledge says that energy output per dollar invested cannot compare to the advanced horizontal turbines that are spreading like wildfire. But according to Treehugger, the UK company called Quiet revolution LTD might be offering something revolutionary -- at least interms of simplicity of design (very few moving parts result in vibration free and virtually silent operation) and double-duty functionality by integrating LED lighting in the blades to provide decorative lighting or even messaging. The product was developed by XC02, an appropriate name for an engineering and design studio dedicated to providing low-corbon solutions in the built environment.

According to Treehugger:

Trials were carried out at the end of last year and with the results XCO2 say that the Quiet Revolution will be capable of producing 10,000 kWh per year based on an average wind speed of 5.8 m/s. "If you had two of them that would satisfy the 10% renewable energy requirement for a 1200 square-metre office building," says their marketing director Julia Grove.

• Physical dimensions: 5m high x 3.1m in diameter
• Generator: Direct drive, mechanically integrated, weather sealed 6kW permanent magnet generator
• Power control: Peak power tracking constantly optimises turbine output for all sites and windspeeds
• Operation mode: Max wind speed: 16m/s; Min wind speed: 4.5m/s
• Design life: 25 years (annual inspections recommended)
• Rotor construction: Carbon fibre & epoxy resin blades and connection arms
• Brake & shutdown: Over-speed breaking above 14m/s wind speed, auto shutdown in high wind speeds (above 16m/s)
• Remote monitoring: Event log can be accessed via GSM Dial up. Remote monitoring stores operation and kW hours of electricity generated
• Warranty: Two years on components