Book cover with front and back design opened fully, the design comprised of diagonal, interconnected black lines or beams against a white background that extends from the front to the back cover, and extends to the bottom of entire page. The beams create bold triangles, hexagons and parallelagrams in varied sizes in a random pattern. Along the left, right, and top margins is a square, white space of background. On the top right of the white space in thick, block, red font reads R. Buckminster Fuller, and in black underneath, reads Makers of Contemporary Architecture. The author, John McHale, is in small text and black ink. In the same motif, along the spine vertically reads R. Buckminster Fuller in red and the author and publisher in small black text.

The image is © Elaine Lustig Cohen. There are 4 other images of this object. See our image rights statement.

See more objects with the tag architects, architecture, graphic design, repetition, monochrome, triangles, diagonal lines, publications.

Object Timeline

1963	Work on this object began.
1993	We acquired this object.
2014	We photographed this object.
2015	We photographed this object.
2017	We photographed this object. We photographed this object.
2019	We photographed this object.
2024	You found it!

Book Cover, R. Buckminster Fuller, Makers of Contemporary Architecture Series

This is a Book cover. It was designed by Elaine Lustig Cohen and written by John McHale and published by George Braziller and subject: R. Buckminster Fuller and made for (as the client) George Braziller. It is dated 1963 and we acquired it in 1993. Its medium is offset lithograph on glossy white paper. It is a part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department.

n this book cover design by Elaine Lustig Cohen,
interconnected struts form a geometric abstract
design, while cleverly evoking the content of
the book. The cover appears to feature a portion
of R. Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic dome, an
architectural structure that relies on the principle
of tensegrity. Tensegrity is a term coined by Fuller
to suggest the joining of tension and integrity, or
elastic cables under tension with compressive rods

This object was donated by Dave Slatoff and Tamar Cohen. It is credited Gift of Tamar Cohen and Dave Slatoff.

Drawing of a structure emerging from a rock formation. The structure is comprised of ten six-sided, diamond-shaped floors. In between the rock formation and structure is a long, supporting mast, as well as cables, holding the structure in place.

Drawing, The Ten-Deck House, 1928
graphite on white wove paper .
Museum purchase from Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program....
1991-53-2

Its dimensions are

26.7 × 48 cm (10 1/2 × 18 7/8 in.)

It is inscribed

Cite this object as

Book Cover, R. Buckminster Fuller, Makers of Contemporary Architecture Series; Designed by Elaine Lustig Cohen (American, 1927–2016); Written by John McHale (British, 1922–1978); Published by George Braziller; Subject: R. Buckminster Fuller (American, 1895–1983); USA; offset lithograph on glossy white paper; 26.7 × 48 cm (10 1/2 × 18 7/8 in.); Gift of Tamar Cohen and Dave Slatoff; 1993-31-51

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/2DyzB/
Accession Number 1993-31-51
Object ID 18645237