ELEMENTS of BMC: Synergy of Forms

At Black Mountain College, figures like Buckminster Fuller and Ruth Asawa experimented at the intersection of geometry and creative expression, asking questions like: How do circuits and cycles interact in space and time to co-create synergy?

In this multi-generational workshop event, participants will work together to playfully explore the relationship between two-dimensional circles and three-dimensional forms through hands-on geometry/art activities inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s teaching and Ruth Asawa’s sculptures.  Many of these exact activities were originally introduced by Fuller to Asawa and his other students at Black Mountain College almost 80 years ago. Asawa went on to share these exercises with countless San Francisco students through her art education initiatives in Bay Area schools for decades to come. Origami, geometric constructions, and creative expression are braided together in this dynamic workshop that highlights Asawa and Fuller’s lifelong friendship. Participants will gain a new way of seeing geometry and sculpture—and an understanding of how ideas can move between people and continue evolving.

This workshop is presented in conjunction with Imaginary Landscapes: Black Mountain College Architecture and Design (May 29 – September 5, 2026), an exhibition exploring how creative ideas take root in specific places.