{"product_id":"charas-the-improbable-dome-builders-9781945711053","title":"Charas: The Improbable Dome Builders","description":"\u003cp\u003eA story of the 70s: when six New York ex-gangsters met Buckminster Fuller and built a geodesic dome In 1970 a meeting took place in an empty loft on the Lower East Side of Manhattan between R. Buckminster Fuller  the revolutionary architect and inventor of the geodesic dome  and six ex-gang members who called themselves CHARAS. After a few hours  they found themselves having an earnest and important conversation  and the young men of CHARAS decided to begin implementing Buckys ideas. They wanted to create a program that would develop a sense of community autonomy  reclaim public space and give their lives a newfound sense of purpose. Following a period of intensive study of solid geometry  spherical trigonometry and principles of dome building  all led by Michael Ben-Eli  CHARAS constructed a geodesic dome on a vacant lot in the shadow of the Manhattan Bridge. Originally published in 1973 and now published in an expanded edition  Charas: The Improbable Dome Builders is an intimate portrait in pictures and words of these dynamic young men and their community. The first half chronicles the trials and tribulations of building the dome  their intensive training  search for funding  accidental fires  holiday potlucks and Bucky visiting to see their incredible work. The second half contains interviews with the members of CHARAS and their friends  sharing personal stories of their time on the streets  as gang leaders  drug addicts  serving time in prison and finding a new sense of self and community through the applied philosophies of Buckminster Fuller. This edition also includes a new interview with Michael Ben-Eli looking back on the project four decades later.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45665816772661,"sku":"ByrdShop_1945711051","price":43.02,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9781945711053.jpg?v=1782408367","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/charas-the-improbable-dome-builders-9781945711053","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}