see also Nature's Design: A 9 week course in synergetic geometry taught by Tom Miller

• 30 Years Studying Design in Nature
• 25 Years Studying Fuller's Explorations in the Geometry of Thinking, Synergetics I /II
• 20 Years Building Models of Fuller's Synergetics geometry
• 18 Years Building Nature's Genealogy from the Four Simplest Shapes
• 10 Years Translating Fuller's Ideas into Everyday Language/Experience

In 1970, at the age of 19, I dropped out of architectural school. I knew very little at the time but if I wanted to live out my childhood dream of being an architect, I knew I would have to educate myself from my own experience. The design of living spaces was in great need of original thinking. One thought focused me, "There must be a better way."

In 1973 I bought an abandoned house in the mountains of Washington State to live as a hermit. I took a course on how to build stained glass windows, learned carpentry skills re-modeling the house and declared myself an artist. I earned income selling stained glass trinkets at street fairs with occasional window commissions.

I spent many hours walking through the woods by myself. Right off, I noticed natural patterns that seemed to repeat themselves on many scales. I had this vague feeling that I recognized these patterns and structures from some past memory. I now know my intuition is very sensitive to natural forms; I see patterns no one else does.

Once I was trying to walk over a pile of fallen trees. I stepped on a log and suddenly it lifted up several other heavy logs, the fulcrum point was just right for it to act as a lever. This was my first moment when I felt surrounded by the Invisible Design, a feeling that everything was aligned into one whole system. It was the beginning of my journey to make the Invisible Design visible. I had found the better way.

In 1975 I studied at the Philchuck Glass School with the German glass—master, Ludwig Schaffrath. He connected me to the European traditions of stained glass so in 1976 I went to Europe to study the glass in medieval cathedrals. I was overwhelmed by the totality of the design of the cathedrals. The glass had meaning because of its connection to all of the other artistry that surrounded it. The symbolism of the Catholic Church had no meaning for me but the people that built those symbols had achieved immorality with the art they had created with their hands. Once again I felt surrounded by the Invisible Design; it was the same feeling of patterns and structures connected in all directions by one whole system of thought. I returned to my hermit cabin with the thought, "What is the modern version of the medieval cathedral?"

The dream of being a hermit, isolated from a corrupt society fell apart. I had to start cleaning houses in Seattle to make ends meet. The more I developed my artistic skills the more I understood that isolation and creativity do not mix.

In 1978 I completely flip-flopped and I moved to New York City. I plunged into the art world as a stained glass sculptor, starting my real art education. I got work doing carpentry. After five years of isolation I had tremendous capacity to absorb new information: non-stop museums, art galleries, performances, building a circle of artistic friends. By 1990 I had dropped out of the art world. There must be a better way.

In 1980 everything in my life changed when I discovered the work of Buckminster Fuller. All of my vague design principles were clearly laid out in Bucky's explorations into Synergetics. He made practical to me the idea that one person can make a difference. The critical path of his life was the all-purpose prototype for mine. I devoured Synergetics I and II and took to heart his advice:

• Dare to be naïve
• Trust your own experience
• Build the models yourself, they will become your teacher

Over the eighties, I had several gallery shows about my Fuller work. No one came. I tried to find other Fuller students, no luck. I tried to interest my artistic friends, their eyes rolled into the back of their heads. I realized I was on my own. I developed a sleep cycle of going to bed early to wake up at 2:00 in the morning to get many hours of Fuller work done before I went to work to earn money.

In 1985 I discovered Brasil. Through coincidence I met a couple from Sao Paulo and went to visit them. It was my first vacation since coming to New York, seven years of non-stop work — never leaving the island of Manhattan. It changed my life.

From a small boy I had never fit in with North American culture, it was too cold for my tastes. Here was a country full of people who acted like I did. I fit in immediately. I had found a completely unexpected better way.

After that, I worked all year saving money to spend 1–3 months in Brasil each year. I could focus all my time on studying Fuller's work and at the end of the day be refreshed by the spirit of my Brasilian friends. I thrived.

On February 29, 1988, while visiting friends at a beach house on the coast of Brasil, I had that moment when the light bulb appears over your head. The Fuller geometrical systems that I had been studying for 8 years suddenly aligned themselves into one whole system, what I've come to call nature's genealogy. It has taken me 18 years to get the genealogy right. This novel ordering of nature's rules grew out of the creativity of life in Brasil.

In 1990, I went to spend Carnival in a place off the beaten path, Florianopolis. I fell in love with it, returned to buy land near the beach and set out to build my dream house.

In 1991, I fell in love with a Brasilian woman who would become my wife. I adopted her two kids. The same week I met her, I started the construction on my experimental house using the cuboctahedron (vector equilibrium) as the basic form. I made every mistake you can make building a house, some ideas worked and a lot didn't.

It has been built in fits and starts over the last 14 years. I am hoping to complete it by 2016 when I am 65 years old. This house is my attempt at building a modern version of a medieval cathedral that is based on nature's modular building system. In the size of a typical middle class house, I am building the world's smallest mansion: 10 bedrooms, a spiral staircase and a dining room/kitchen that can handle 24 guests. I developed new space-saving techniques in my years in New York doing design work.

What I learned from Fuller's Synergetic geometry got me small design jobs while working as a carpenter. I developed a talent for placing a whole lot in a tiny space. I used my living space as my lab, using leftover materials from my carpentry jobs. When I got married my poor wife and kids had to live around constant change.

After my wife died in 1999, I decided to turn the apartment into a model home. It was a typical one–bedroom railroad apartment, 440 sq. ft., entrance into bedroom and a bathtub in the kitchen. I turned it into a commodious two bedroom with an eat–in kitchen and a walk–in closet. I have used it to develop a space efficiency consulting business.

In July of 2005, after 25 years of doing my Fuller work in isolation, I made my first presentation of my findings to a group of my peers. The Buckminster Fuller Institute had suggested I contact SNEC, the Synergetics Collaborative, a grass roots Fuller group.

They have a summer workshop in upstate New York each summer. I was skeptical; I have not been a joiner.

Never have I met a nicer group of people. The whole organization was geared to bringing in new people, new ideas, new approaches, giving everyone a say. The creativity generated by collaboration was overwhelming. I felt much like I did the first time in Brasil, I had found my place and a better way.

The positive reaction to the presentation of my ideas was beyond my wildest expectations. Four of us decided to collaborate closely to help each other in our various projects. I would urge any person interested in Fuller's work to join.

In the seven months since my debut, the alignment of nature's genealogy has crystallized into its first most efficient-minimum form that is the basis of this class. It is the help of the Fuller grass roots community that has made this class possible. They are a living example of "Dare to be naïve" made real.