January 21, 2017 Comments (2) Views: 2490 Looking Back, Nostalgia

It’s a sad story how the Futuro house went down in history

During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the Finish architect Matti Suuronen designed a round, prefabricated house that was distinctive thanks to its flying saucer-like shape and airplane hatch entrance. Not more than 100 houses were built before they became a subject to continual public hostility, therefore were taken off the market.

The first Futuro house was built in Finland, but it was at once a reason for public reactions and protests just because the design looked estranged. The same fate followed the Futuro in other countries. Banks would not invest in them across the U.S. neither did municipalities grant permissions for their constructions. The Futuro constructions were vandalized, destroyed or demolished.

The Futuro was designed to resemble the Hollywood idea of the flying saucer; it’s a plastic and portable vacation home that can easily adjust to any terrain and weather. Its structure was originally imagined as a ski cabin, but through further interventions in the design, the concept changed as the home of the future. What’s left of these beautiful alien-like houses is scattered all around the planet. This Futuro house website has so far the biggest collection of photos as well as more data and information of each known Futuro remnant.

Once past the hatch entrance that replaces the traditional door opening, the Futuro accommodates a common space with six plastic lounge chairs that add to the overall retro splendor. The bubble home also has a small kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. The UFO connotation most probably appeared once some of the houses were installed with the help of a helicopter that assembled the whole construction.

An excerpt from a February 1970 copy of Architecture d’aujourd’hui depicts the Futuro house as: “The first model in a series of holiday homes to be licensed in 50 countries, already mass-produced in the United States, Australia and Belgium. The segments of the elliptic envelope are assembled on the site using a metal footing. Through its shape and materials used, the house can be erected in very cold mountains or even by the sea. The area is 50 sq m, the volume 140 cubic m, divided by adaptable partitions.”

You May Also Want to See: 12 Old Postcards That Will Make You Feel Nostalgic About the World in its Old Days

Remembering the Futuro house and it’s alien-like design certainly feels like the physical manifestation of the 1960’s optimism is right here, right now. At that time, the world just went off the post-war period and the economy was flourishing. Tech gadgets that saved time around the households were on the demand, plus not to mention the hype of the Space Race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. It must have felt easy to project and envision a future where the Futuro house could easily become the popular housing option just for everybody.

If interested to learn more, at the map here can help you hunt the locations of the remaining Futuro houses around the world today.

From the U.S to Russia and all the way to the Australian beaches – the Futuro remains to be a jewel of an era that’s long gone.

Tags: Futuro house, Nostalgia