50 years ago, Buckminster Fuller and his architectural partner Shoji Sadao completed construction on a landmark geodesic dome that they designed as a Religious Center for the newly founded Southern Illinois University campus at Edwardsville, IL. The dome they created was the realization of a vision that Bucky had for a building idea he called a “Geoscope.”
His “Geoscope” concept would be a spherical, translucent, miniature earth building that would allow it’s occupants a unique architectural vantage point to see their place in the world and the world’s place in the universe. This was achieved by aligning the longitudinal lines of the building’s miniature earth dome with those of the actual earth.
In Bucky’s words, “a sense of orientation of each human individual within the profound magnificence of Universe is provided by the Center’s miniature earth. One goes inside to go outside one’s self and into the center of the Earth and thence outward to the stars in seconds.
The Edwardsville Center becomes at once a cathedral of universal reality and a cathedral of universal mystery…” Bucky envisioned building “Geoscopes” all over the world, straddling key lines of longitude around the planet. He eventually had the opportunity to build his “Geoscope” straddling the earth’s 90th Meridian in Edwardsville, IL on the SIUE campus.
That building was dedicated in 1971, and today the Fuller Dome in Edwardsville Illinois is managed by the non profit organization, Center for Spirituality and Sustainability. It stands has the only built example in the world of Bucky’s “Geoscope” concept.
SIUE approached Swing City Music to install a practical audio system in the Center for Spirituality and Sustainability to enhance the experience of its guests. Considering the breathtaking nature of the dome, we knew that we needed to offer a sleek and stylish installation that wouldn’t detract from its aesthetic.
We also understood the importance of offering an easy-to-use system so its attendees could focus on the reason(s) they were there. This was no simple task, but we take pride in our ability to persevere through even the most demanding of challenges.
After it was all said and done, we were all satisfied with the quality of the installation. If you find yourself on or near SIUE’s beautiful campus, you should check it out for yourself! Remember to call 618-345-6700 for all of your audio/visual and lighting needs!
