Saving a Visionary Landmark

Widely regarded as one of the most innovative houses in modern architectural design, the House of Tomorrow in the Indiana Dunes was named a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a designation that will aid Indiana Landmarks in saving the innovative structure.

The announcement by the National Trust on October 19, 2016 was made in partnership with Indiana Landmarks, a national leader on creative funding strategies for the reuse of historic properties. Indiana Landmarks submitted the House of Tomorrow’s nomination to be designated a National Treasure, the first in Indiana. Despite its recognition as a forerunner of both Mid-Century Modern home design and the solar house movement, the House of Tomorrow is vacant and deteriorating.

A HOME FOR THE FUTURE

Designed by noted Chicago architect George Fred Keck, the House of Tomorrow was a popular attraction at the 1933-34 Century of Progress Exhibition, where more than 1.2 million people paid an extra 10 cents to see inside the house. In the depths of the Great Depression, the World’s Fair drew 39 million people to see how advancements in science and technology could improve life across the globe.