ASM Headquarters and Geodesic Dome
Also known as: Materials Park
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Why it's listed
Materials Park, about twenty miles east of Cleveland, holds the headquarters of ASM International and a large geodesic dome designed by R. Buckminster Fuller. Both were completed in 1959. The three-story, semi-circular office building by architect John Terence Kelly covers 50,000 square feet and is wrapped in glass curtain walls, with reinforced concrete floors and extensive use of steel, aluminum, bronze, copper, titanium and tungsten. A stainless steel sun shield 13 feet high and 390 feet wide covers the western face. The aluminum dome rises 103 feet, spans 274 feet and rests on five pylons, two of which pass through courtyards in the building. It shelters a sunken Mineral Garden displaying ore specimens. The building and dome are structurally separate but were conceived as a single design. The property is recognized for its Modern architecture, its inventive use of metals and its engineering, and it remains in use as the society's headquarters.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the semi-circular, glass-walled headquarters, designed by architect John Terence Kelly, as a prominent example of Modern architecture with extensive and varied use of metals. The dome, called the world's largest open-work geodesic dome, is treated as an innovative engineering and design feature. The two structures are structurally independent but form one architectural concept.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 09000849, listed October 22, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 9639 Kinsman Rd., Materials Park |
|---|---|
| County | Geauga County |
| Listed | October 22, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000849 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect John Terence Kelly (headquarters); R. Buckminster Fuller (dome design); Gillmore-Olson Co., general contractor; Mak Construction Co., erector; North American Aviation Corp's Columbus Division, fabricator; Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Co., aluminum supplier |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Headquarters remains in use as ASM's offices; the first floor of the north section serves as its reference library. Metal solar shades were added around 1974-1975. |
| Acreage | 25 |
| Coordinates | 41.46130, -81.29889 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 09000849.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4654294
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.