- ASM International, formerly the American Society for Metals, "is the society for materials professionals, a worldwide network dedicated to advancing industry, technology and applications of metals and materials."
On behalf of the members, board, and staff of ASM International, welcome to our World Headquarters. We are very proud of Materials Park, not just because it is a landmark in its own right, but because it symbolizes the best of what our organization represents.
ASM International is the society for materials engineers and scientists, a worldwide network dedicated to advancing industry, technology and humanity through the sharing of timely, useful and reliable technical information.
ASM itself is a work-in-progress, the ongoing product of thousands of individuals, working together for the good of all members. However, the design for Materials Park was the result of the vision of three men: William Hunt Eisenman, who served as ASM National Secretary for 40 years; R. Buckminster Fuller, the celebrated American genius; and John Terrence Kelly, the Cleveland-based architect whose innovative ideas gave shape and form to ASM's aspirations.
Bill Eisenman (1886-1958) donated 100 acres of Ohio farmland to the Society, selected the architect, approved the final design, and personally drove the wooden stakes that marked the footprint of the new structure. Though he never saw it completed, Materials Park stands as a testament to his vision, his leadership, and his love for the Society he served for so many years.
The geodesic dome itself is a constant reminder of the boundless energy and imagination of Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983), an ASM Distinguished Life Member. Bucky dedicated his life to the principle that, to prosper in the years to come, humanity must learn to "do more with less." This belief led to his development of the strongest structure made by humans that does not require internal support.
Every individual part of the dome is equally responsible for the strength of the whole. For this reason, we cite the dome as a symbol of the worldwide network that is ASM: more than 43,000 individuals who come together to exchange information, meet other materials professionals, and find answers to their technical problems.
In describing his concept for Materials Park in 1960, John Terrence Kelly said that ASM had presented "the kind of challenge for which an architect will wait a lifetime" With mineral samples highlighted in a central garden, ASM found a symbolic expression for the raw minerals and ores found in nature, while the dome illustrated what humanity and technology could achieve with those raw materials.
The renovated Eisenman Garden, completed in 1999, updates the original concepts of Eisenman, Fuller, and Kelly. The focus of the new garden is a water sculpture crafted from copper, titanium, and stainless steel. Named "ASM Singularity" by renowned artist Eric Orr (1940-1998), it was the final work of his life.
In an alcove just beyond the trees and plants of the central garden, you will find a memorial to Bill Eisenman. Engraved in granite are the words that are his enduring legacy to our Society: "Make no little plans."
Since the dedication of Materials Park in 1960, thousands of visitors have come away impressed by the site's beauty and tranquility. During your visit, as you explore the garden and feel the presence of the dome, take a moment to think about the contributions of ASM members - men and women who have significantly improved the way we live through their work with metals and other engineered materials.
Michael J. DeHaemer, Ph.D. Managing Director
ASM Headquarters
With its great arching dome, and its semi-circular office building,
the ASM International Headquarters conveys the imaginative force that marks
ASM.
SITE: Materials Park is located near Russell and Newbury Townships
in Geauga County on Ohio Route 87, two miles east of Ohio Route 306. The
building is located on nearly 45 acres of rolling land.
ORIGINAL COST: For building and landscaping - $2,400,000.
ARCHITECT: John Terrence Kelly, Cleveland, Ohio
CONTRACTOR: Gillmore-Olson Company, Cleveland, Ohio
FEATURES: Started in 1958, completed in 1959, and formally dedicated
in 1960, one outstanding feature of the building is the geodesic dome or
"space lattice"designed by R. Buckminster Fuller.
A symbol of man's mastery of his metal resources, the open-work dome
made of extruded aluminum stands 103 feet high and 250 feet in diameter,
weighs 80 tons and contains more than 65,000 parts.
The dome is ornamental and open, honeycomb-like, and stands on five
pylons, two of which rise up from courtyards set into the building. Another
outstanding use of metal in the building is the stainless steel "sun shield,"
13 feet high and 390 feet long, extending across the west face of the third
level. The "shield" provides protection from the western sun without obstructing
the view. The outer surface of the shield is a satin finish, the inner,
soft gold. There are 4,000 louvers or openings, approximately 12 inches
by 5 inches in size.
The building has three levels and some 50,000 square feet of floor
space. It is made of reinforced concrete with special emphasis on uses
of metals. Every door on the lobby level is stainless steel; the main stairway
is also of stainless, hung dramatically by the use of steel rods running
the height of the three levels.
Outside, within the circle of the building, is the beautifully landscaped
Eisenman Garden. This garden was re-done in 1999 with landscape designs
by Knight and Stolar and main contractor Buddie Construction. Set beneath
the dome, it is one of the building's striking features. Educational as
well as decorative, the garden displays upward of 66 specimens of raw mineral
ores, all labeled as to kind and 73 varieties of perennials, shrubs and
flowering trees. Within the building, there is a dining room, library,
and a conference room that seats 85. Administrative offices are on the
second or plaza level, staff offices on the third level, with service departments
plus offices, cafeteria, a computer training room, large classroom and
a lab/classroom on the lower or ground floor.
The Geodesic Dome
ASM's Geodesic Dome is a well known landmark in the world of technology.
Designed to symbolize the world of engineered materials from the raw elements
in the earth to humanity's achievements in using these elements for progress.
The dome is the largest of its kind in the world.
Based on the technology developed by R. Buckminster Fuller, the dome
stands 103 feet high, 274 feet in diameter at its base, and weighs 80 tons.
It is constructed of a network of hexagonal and pentagonal shapes formed
of 13 miles (65,000 parts) of aluminum tubing and rods in tension. The
dome is mounted on five pylons, the foundations of which reach 77 feet
beneath the earth's surface.
Dedicated on August 14, 1999, the granite memorial celebrates the life
and achievements of William Hunt Eisenman, ASM National Secretary for 40
years. On the memorial are the words of Danial H. Burham (1846-1912), city
planner and architect who developed the Chicago Plan of 1909. The quote,
frequently cited by Mr. Eisenman reads "Make no little plans, they have
no magic to stir one's blood. Make big plans, aim high in hope and work,
remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die."
Designed by: Eric Orr, Venice, California
"ASM Singularity": This artwork is respondent to the architecture
of the building and to the open geodesic dome. The work is composed of
two sculptures that stand as one. The 16' curved arc is made of copper
that is patinaed as bronze and the 14' curved arc is made of titanium.
Around the outer perimeter of the upper two pools are bands of stainless
steel. Water cascades like a rippling river down the sides of the arc and
over the sides of the two upper pools into the larger base pool. The work
is intended to sit in the newly landscaped area, giving the feeling of
tranquility.