Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access will require additional advanced notice. Unless noted, digital media are not available online. Copies of unrestricted digital files will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request. Access will be provided to use copies of unrestricted digital files rather than carrier media, such as CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks. Some or all electronic files may be unavailable or restricted due to privacy reasons, agreement with the donor, software is not available to interact with files, or because files cannot be retrieved from original media.
The collection is mainly comprised of digital files (JPGs) created by scanning photographic prints and negatives held by Synergetics, Inc. The original prints and negatives that were scanned date primarily from 1960-1972, but images from later decades also exist here. The originals were also primarily black-and-white, although some later ones are in color. The images depict models of projects, buildings, and structures designed and/or constructed by Synergetics, Inc. Some images are construction shots. Many of the original photographs were taken by Ralph Mills, who had been contracted by the company. Images were scanned by Bill Ballenger in 2005-2006, with the permission of Synergetics, Inc. president T. C. Howard. The collection also includes a small amount of the firm's promotional literature, a few magazines that contain articles about Synergetics, Inc., and a poster celebrating the life of T.C. Howard.
Synergetics, Inc., was an architecture and engineering firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company was originally established by R. Buckminster Fuller in 1955, but it was later headed by James W. Fitzgibbon and then T. C. Howard. The company designed and constructed commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings, and it developed " . . . systems and structures employing geodesic, tensegrity, and related principles of design, fabrication, and construction." Among the structures designed or constructed by Synergetics, Inc. are the Climatron at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, the Churchill Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair (now the Queens Zoo Aviary), and the Tower of Light at the 1964 World's Fair. Synergetics, Inc. closed in 2006. Bill Ballenger worked for Synergetics, Inc. from 1960 to 1972.
Synergetics, Inc., was an architecture and engineering firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company was originally established by R. Buckminster Fuller in 1955, but it was later headed by James W. Fitzgibbon and then T. C. Howard. The company designed and constructed commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings, and it developed " . . . systems and structures employing geodesic, tensegrity, and related principles of design, fabrication, and construction." Among the structures designed or constructed by Synergetics, Inc. are the Climatron at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, the Churchill Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair (now the Queens Zoo Aviary), and the Tower of Light at the 1964 World's Fair. Synergetics, Inc. closed in 2006.
Bill Ballenger was born in 1932 in Concord, North Carolina. After serving in the United States Navy, he attended North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (later North Carolina State University), where he received a B. S. in Sociology in 1962. While attending NC State he also took several courses in various design programs. From 1960 to 1972, he worked, with some part-time and broken employment while in graduate school, for Synergetics, Inc., as a product designer, finishing as Vice President for Computer Processing. In 1972 he left and returned to NC State University, where he earned a Ph.D. in psychology and later was involved in research project in the university's School of Education. In 2005-2006, with the permission of Synergetics, Inc. president T. C. Howard, he scanned many images in the company's photograph collection.
The collection is mainly comprised of digital files (JPGs) created by scanning photographic prints and negatives held by Synergetics, Inc. The original prints and negatives that were scanned date primarily from 1960-1972, but images from later decades also exist here. The originals were also primarily black-and-white, although some later ones are in color. The images depict models of projects, buildings, and structures designed and/or constructed by Synergetics, Inc. Some images are construction shots. Many of the original photographs were taken by Ralph Mills, who had been contracted by the company. Images were scanned by Bill Ballenger in 2005-2006, with the permission of Synergetics, Inc. president T. C. Howard. The collection also includes a small amount of the firm's promotional literature, a few magazines that contain articles about Synergetics, Inc., and a poster celebrating the life of T.C. Howard.
This collection has not yet received full archival processing and is arranged in the order in which it was received.
The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.
We have performed a virus scan upon ingest and upon request for access. However, not all virus software profiles will catch all threats, especially newer, unrecognized ones. The researcher assumes all risk when opening files.
The NC State University Libraries and the Special Collections Research Center makes no claims as to the executability of any electronic record files we make available to researchers. Researchers may be required to find and utilize legacy software packages to read files.
[Identification of item], William Ballenger Collection of Synergetics, Inc., Photographs and Publications, MC 00466, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Related Material
Gift of William Ballenger and T. C. Howard, 2012 (Accession no. 2012.0291).
Processed by: Todd Kosmerick; finding aid created by: Linda Sellars, 2015 May; Digital materials processed by Jessica Rayman, 2017 April.
The collection is organized into three principal series:
Digital files (mostly JPGs, also some PDFs) created by scanning photographic prints and negatives held by Synergetics, Inc. The original prints and negatives that were scanned date primarily from 1960-1972, but images from later decades also exist here. The originals were also primarily black-and-white, although some later ones are in color. The images depict models of projects, buildings, and structures designed and/or constructed by Synergetics. Some images are construction shots. Many of the original photographs were taken by Ralph Mills, who had been contracted by the company. Images were scanned by Bill Ballenger in 2005-2006, with the permission of Synergetics president T. C. Howard.
Arranged as received.
Copies of unrestricted digital files will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request.
Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access will require additional advanced notice. Unless noted, digital media are not available online. Copies of unrestricted digital files will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request. Access will be provided to use copies of unrestricted digital files rather than carrier media, such as CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks. Some or all electronic files may be unavailable or restricted due to privacy reasons, agreement with the donor, software is not available to interact with files, or because files cannot be retrieved from original media.
For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.
Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111
Phone: (919) 515-2273
[Identification of item], William Ballenger Collection of Synergetics, Inc., Photographs and Publications, MC 00466, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.
We have performed a virus scan upon ingest and upon request for access. However, not all virus software profiles will catch all threats, especially newer, unrecognized ones. The researcher assumes all risk when opening files.
The NC State University Libraries and the Special Collections Research Center makes no claims as to the executability of any electronic record files we make available to researchers. Researchers may be required to find and utilize legacy software packages to read files.