World-renowned architect, philosopher and teacher, R. Buckminster Fuller, designed the Religious Center at SIUE in partnership with architect Shoji Sadao. Fuller, a former member of the SIU faculty, created the Center's Dome as a transparent replica of planet Earth. The Religious Center at SIUE stands with surveyor-certified mathematical exactitude. Symmetrically astride the true planet Earth's "90th" western meridian of longitude. Standing under the dome our
planet's continents can be seen outlined against a transparent blue ocean, as they would be seen by X-rays if one descended by elevator from Edwardsville to the center of the Earth, always keeping Edwardsville directly overhead.
The Religious Center's dome is a true planetarium (picture of room). A sense of orientation of each human individual within the profound magnificence of Universe is provided by the Religious Center's miniature earth.
To read more from Fuller's writing about the Religious Center, click on the following Word document or pdf file: Geoview by R. Buckminster Fuller.pdf
