Cardmodel book of very stylized 'lunar colony' from the 1970s?
March 12, 2018 1:44 PM Subscribe
When I was a kid, I had a cardmodel book printed in silvered and black ink on sturdy, die cut pages which was designed to be punched out and assembled into a lunar base or settlement of some kind. Sound familiar to anyone?
The resulting structures were highly stylized and did not, to my recollection, resemble any actual or SF envisioning of a lunar colony to any degree. Instead, they resembled faceted geometric forms overprinted with designs indicating a sort of squared-off armature, generally of a cubic shape with faceted edges and corners. If I had to guess, I would say that they designer may have been inspired in part by the look of the Eagle transporter ships depicted in Space: 1999, specifically the armature of the main fuselage and the faceted, squarish boxes containing the vessel's landing gear. However, the design inspiration I suggest is really a most tenuous guess. I have spent much of today looking for images of the book or the built kit, fruitlessly. I figure if anyone in the world knows what I am talking about, they are most likely to be right here on MetaFilter. Thanks very much!
The resulting structures were highly stylized and did not, to my recollection, resemble any actual or SF envisioning of a lunar colony to any degree. Instead, they resembled faceted geometric forms overprinted with designs indicating a sort of squared-off armature, generally of a cubic shape with faceted edges and corners. If I had to guess, I would say that they designer may have been inspired in part by the look of the Eagle transporter ships depicted in Space: 1999, specifically the armature of the main fuselage and the faceted, squarish boxes containing the vessel's landing gear. However, the design inspiration I suggest is really a most tenuous guess. I have spent much of today looking for images of the book or the built kit, fruitlessly. I figure if anyone in the world knows what I am talking about, they are most likely to be right here on MetaFilter. Thanks very much!
Response by poster: alas, certainly not. The book was in my hands before the show ever aired in the states. That doesn't preclude the speculative design influence, mind.
posted by mwhybark at 11:45 PM on March 12, 2018
posted by mwhybark at 11:45 PM on March 12, 2018
Best answer: Apollo Moonbase (1969)? 3-D Spacescapes (1964)? If neither, then maybe you can contact that blog's owner with your question. Good luck!
posted by MonkeyToes at 8:17 AM on March 13, 2018
posted by MonkeyToes at 8:17 AM on March 13, 2018
Response by poster: alas, neither. although I am now reminded of a 3-D Apollo pop-up book I once had, the centerpiece of which was a two-page spread out of which a six-inch tall LEM rose in glory upon the moon's surface. Dang, that was a feat of paper engineering.
I also had a pre-Apollo spiral bound book which was designed to be fanned out, opened in a circle, and placed upright to create a toroid form, and interior paper structures and membranes would deploy in such a way as to illustrate, somewhat imaginitively, the functions, structures, activities and so forth taking place within a fictional toroidal spun-gravity space station.
posted by mwhybark at 11:31 AM on March 13, 2018
I also had a pre-Apollo spiral bound book which was designed to be fanned out, opened in a circle, and placed upright to create a toroid form, and interior paper structures and membranes would deploy in such a way as to illustrate, somewhat imaginitively, the functions, structures, activities and so forth taking place within a fictional toroidal spun-gravity space station.
posted by mwhybark at 11:31 AM on March 13, 2018
Response by poster: The Apollo pop-up book appears to be this one.
Dreams of Space does indeed have the space station book. It is entitled "Space Station for a Fine Young Astronaut".
I agree, it's worth dropping the guy a line.
posted by mwhybark at 11:42 AM on March 13, 2018 [1 favorite]
Dreams of Space does indeed have the space station book. It is entitled "Space Station for a Fine Young Astronaut".
I agree, it's worth dropping the guy a line.
posted by mwhybark at 11:42 AM on March 13, 2018 [1 favorite]
I don't know an answer to this question, but someone on Paper Modelers certainly will.
posted by fimbulvetr at 12:24 PM on March 13, 2018
posted by fimbulvetr at 12:24 PM on March 13, 2018
Response by poster: I made a drawing of how I remember the structures looking. It is certainly inaccurate, and if you want to mentally remove the impressionistic lunarscape and replace with a formica kitchen table top, that would be just fine too.
posted by mwhybark at 1:12 PM on March 13, 2018
posted by mwhybark at 1:12 PM on March 13, 2018
Best answer: ... and we have a solution, thanks to John Sisson, of Dreams of Space. He writes,
I know which one it is:
1973- Wilson, Forrest. Build Your Own Moon Settlement. New York: Pantheon Books. (32 p.) 21 x 28 cm. Softcover.
IH. Primary/secondary. B&W drawings. With very limited "space art" this book is a craft book that allows you to build cardboard models of some of the major modules a Moon settlement would need. Written by an architect, its 27 pages of text outline his ideas for how a colony would work. A unique book, characteristic of this post-Moon landing period.
Here it is on amazon with photos:
https://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Own-Moon-Settlement/dp/039482606X
I haven't gone to compare the drawing yet, but am doing so now!
posted by mwhybark at 2:46 PM on March 13, 2018 [2 favorites]
I know which one it is:
1973- Wilson, Forrest. Build Your Own Moon Settlement. New York: Pantheon Books. (32 p.) 21 x 28 cm. Softcover.
IH. Primary/secondary. B&W drawings. With very limited "space art" this book is a craft book that allows you to build cardboard models of some of the major modules a Moon settlement would need. Written by an architect, its 27 pages of text outline his ideas for how a colony would work. A unique book, characteristic of this post-Moon landing period.
Here it is on amazon with photos:
https://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Own-Moon-Settlement/dp/039482606X
I haven't gone to compare the drawing yet, but am doing so now!
posted by mwhybark at 2:46 PM on March 13, 2018 [2 favorites]
YAY! So pleased that you got an answer (and so quickly!)!
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:11 PM on March 13, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:11 PM on March 13, 2018 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by MonkeyToes at 5:32 PM on March 12, 2018