MONTREAL BIOSPHERE

The Montreal Biosphere was a mix of Buckminster’s design and philosophy. He used his ideal geodesic design by building the biosphere with triangles, which were used for strength and rigidness. It measures 76 metres in diameter, and 62 metres in height .As in all of Fuller’s domes, they used three- dimensional units, a triangle on the outside, hexagonal on the inside, and curved to fit a given arc, as its structural basis. Because they connected all these shapes together to make one structure, they were able to distribute the weight of the whole thing, thus being able to create ¾ of perfect sphere. He proved that it was possible to establish a livable space only using one-fifth of the materials that were regularly used at the time for architecture. The biosphere had earned itself a reputation of being the number one attraction at the Expo ’67, with visitors reaching 5.3 million people.  Fuller incorporated all of his ideologies into this structure. It used a complex system of retractable shading screens to control the heat within the biosphere. An automated computing system was designed to adjust the shading screens in accordance with the sun’s light. As well the exterior covering of the building was tinted to also assist with light and heat. After fifteen years of being closed to the public and a horrific fire, in 1990, Environment Canada purchased the site to turn it into an interactive museum, showcasing and exploring the water ecosystems of the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence River regions.