To me, the quintessential irresponsible "inventor" was Buckminster Fuller. He was a talented confidence trickster and idea thief, if there ever was one. And yet he had ( and in some circles still has ) a cult following as a visionary.
- read up on his letters with Kenneth Snelson.
- parking the Dymaxion is so much easier!
Then try to get out of the same parking spot.
- Aviodome. An impracticalhape, and it always leaked.
A bit like Frank Lloyd Wright's "Falling Water".
- a good runner-up would be Burt Rutan.
- Thomas Massie would also seem to be a contender.
But at least he built something that worked.
- let's not forget Colani.