Grid-Beam Construction-Kits

Inspired by Buckminster Fuller, Grid-Beam Construction is a form of DIY backyard engineering and design that sort of took off in the Seventies and might, maybe, possibly make something of a comeback one of these days. It is a lot like a grown-up version of those old fashioned Erector Sets with an IKEA vibe that makes it seem like a possible big-deal in the wake of such things as MAKE magazine and the whole resurgence of the DIY movement.

A system much like the Grid-Beam Construction Kit is at the heart of the Monarchist colony-saucers in Riskail, enabling these groups to disassemble and reassemble various elements of their vessels to establish their base-camps, settlements or proto-towns.

Here are a few links pertaining to Grid-Beam systems that you might find useful.

• The Pop-Up City site has a piece on how to build an upgradable future using the Grid-Beam approach.
• They also have a page devoted to Ken Isaac's How to Build Your Own Living Structures, a real classic, and it's free.
• Amazon has a book on Grid-Beam Construction.
• And you might want to check out the website of the guy who wrote the above-mentioned book on Grid-Beam Construction.
• There's also a nice, handy and free PDF that talks about just what Grid-Beam Construction is and how to do it.
• And Greendump has a reprint/repost of the article referenced up above, but their site is worth taking a look at if any of this sort of thing appeals to you at all.