{"id":99,"date":"2020-03-17T06:38:55","date_gmt":"2020-03-17T06:38:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bwc.fnmultitrading.com\/?page_id=99"},"modified":"2026-08-05T06:38:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T06:38:57","slug":"events","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/buckyconfluence.org\/?page_id=99","title":{"rendered":"Previous Events"},"content":{"rendered":"
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July 2025 updates : buckyconfluence.org<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sunsight 12 July 2025<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Remembering Bucky from Bellevue<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

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Observing sunsight on the 12th July only a few of us were at Bellevue remembering Bucky\u2019s birthday: Maryam Abdullah, Ali Ibrahim, Edward Ng, Anila Muniandy, Nurul Khaleeda, Ooi In Him, (myself) and a room guest Heimun Tho. The panoramic view was calmly halcyon<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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On the evening before I had given a talk at the Campuan Lounge about 45 years of Bellevue, identifying the notable visitors since 1980, which included Malaysian royalty, President Weizsacker of Germany, Lee Kuan Yew, botanists: Holttum, Dransfield, Whitmore, Polunin – and film stars such as Omar Shariff and Jane Seymour. In the setting of the lounge which recollects the memories of the Bali meetings Bucky was especially celebrated as the lingering spirit at Bellevue and significant for his intimate involvements in Penang. Indeed the geodesic dome in the panoramic terrace and the view of the Komtar dome testifies. The gathering ended with a group photo before the Dymaxion Map as a reminder of Bucky\u2019s global inspirations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On Sunday the 13th, we visited Suriana Botanic Conservation Gardens<\/strong>, where there are three geodesic shade houses \u2013 which Bucky had called \u201cgrown domes\u201d! At Bellevue we have yet another for sub-montane flora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As mentioned previously, the new ginger species grown at Bellevue and Suriana had been named Alpinia buckiana<\/strong><\/em>. It has now been published and cited taxonomically in the latest issue of Folia malaysiana<\/em>, Vol.19(1), 2024<\/strong> \u2013 reproduced below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The new taxa from Peninsular Malaysia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Alpinia buckiana<\/strong> <\/em>C.K Lim, sp. nov.
<\/em>Differs from Alpinia nobilis<\/em> with leaves smaller, glabrous, inflorescence 1 – 2 flowers per cincinni; labellum not creanulate, bright yellow, scarlet coloration more suffused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Type<\/strong>: Malaysia, Penang, cultivated at Suriana Botanic Conservation Gardens. C.K. Lim CL14573 (Holotype PBG, isotype MPSU).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Description<\/strong>: Clustering rhizomatose herb with shoots 1-1.5cm diam., 2.5m or more in height. Leaves glabrous, elongate, lamina 75-83.5 x 12-14.6cm, apex caudate with long cauda to 1.5cm long, base cuneate, sometimes decurrent, petiole 4cm, ligule entire 1cm, green, glabrous, lighter below, (sometimes lightly pubescent). Inflorescence terminal at leafy shoot, unopened in prophyll, 25-28 x 5-6cm, boat-shaped, greenish brown; spike ca. 30cm long with c. 35 floral cincinni, 1.5cm apart; 1-2 flowers per cincinni. Flowers are large and showy; pedicel light green, hairy; ovary globose, light green, slightly hairy (sometimes covered with persistent floral bract); calyx tubular, bilobed with acute tip, whitish, slightly hairy; labellum broad, bright yellow distinct at margins, median broadly suffused with scarlet coloration, striating into protruding apical lip, bilobed; staminodes short or absent, anthers bulbous on connective, white, sometimes pink tinged, pollinia 2, stamen pale yellow. Fruit globose, c. 2-3cm diam., trilocular with many seeds, c. 39-56 seeds per capsule, hirsute, immature light green turning orangey red. Seeds angular, black, c. 2-3 mm across.

Etymology<\/strong>: The species is named in honour of the global humanist Richard Buckminster Fuller, a frequent visitor to Penang and the region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distribution<\/strong>: Peninsular Malaysia: Perak: Kuala Kangsar, Cenein; Perlis, near Wang Kelian. (Numerous collections collected for MPSU and propagated at Suriana Botanic Conservation Garden)

Notes<\/strong>: Alpinia buckiana<\/em> (and also the other two new species) is very distinct from A. mutica<\/em> by the leaves not having the latter\u2019s distinct \u201csweetly rancid\u201d scent.
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On the 12th we received the annual news from Jaime Snyder <\/strong>and Alexandra May<\/strong> of the The Estate of R. Buckminster Fuller celebrating Bucky\u2019s 130th birthday<\/strong>, recalling events from 1975. This prompts our records of Bucky\u2019s visit to Bali in August 1975<\/strong>, when the bamboo tensegrity dome at Penestanan was being conceived (as later built and featured in the Campuan meetings of 1976 and Bucky\u2019s birthday in 1977). Bucky\u2019s inscriptions in the guestbook were indeed memorable (see photos below<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On August 1st Bucky had made the visit to my house at Penestanan accompanied by the guide Pak Geria, later visiting Balinese carvers and also meeting Arie Smit, Robie Sularto and Donald Friend at Sanur. A poignant event that I recall was when Bucky confided in me about his dream about his first deceased child Alexandra\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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July 2024 updates : buckyconfluence.org<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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12 July 2024<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Remembering Bucky from Bellevue<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

In anticipation of sunsight at Bellevue, from 6am, distant thunder resonated as if to remind of global conflicts perhaps from Ukraine or Gaza, while we felt for a better shared world as inspired by Bucky. The informal gathering of friends came to inaugurate a new Dymaxion Big Map<\/strong> at the panoramic lawn of Bellevue on Penang Hill anticipating the new dawn whatever the weather. At 6.35am it began to drizzle as predicted by weather forecasts, recalling the realism of rain experienced before, as others arrived including my niece Kuei Ying and her daughter Phek Shaan, son-in-law Wei Kiat and daughter Sophie, with her violin, (later persuaded to play before her great grand uncle, who contributed some critical observations to improve her music!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At 7am the drizzle intensified as rain to wash our map, while dark clouds hovered without impairing the panoramic view. Up to 9am the rain was unabated as the group had breakfast, before which I Gede Sukerena<\/strong> and I shared accounts of the traditions of Bali, also to explain the umbuls in the view which remind of the Bali, Bellevue and Bucky connections.
It remain sunsightless, and despite the mist we gathered around the Big Map, recalling the World Game and global geography, while Tan Weiming<\/strong> made video recordings from his drone above of the memorable happening. (see video recording below)<\/strong>
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