The Futuro: A House That’s Out of This World

“Futuro represents the modern, comfortable way of housing–practical coziness. Futuro is the dwelling of the future.” (1968 brochure)

Remember the groovy Venturo Modular Home I showed you recently? Meet its predecessor, the Futuro, which was designed by the same forward-thinking Finnish architect Matti Suuronen in 1968. Whereas the Venturo promoted a “come for the weekend in your orange bikini” kind of lifestyle, the Futuro was more “come for the weekend in your silver space suit.”

Suuronen designed the Futuro when he was commissioned to create a modern ski cabin. It was built out of fiberglass-reinforced polyester plastic and was light enough to be lifted to remote sites by helicopter, where the steel legs could adjust to any terrain.

Only 96 were ever built, and only 16 are in the U.S., so this is a rare sighting of one in Wisconsin (it’s a vacation rental, so if you want, you can experience it first-hand).

I can only imagine what some unsuspecting hikers must think when they come across this spaceship in the woods. And then the hydraulic hatch door opens and the stairs slowly descend….

The interior of the Futuro was fully furnished and could accommodate eight people. Partitions could be used to create separate spaces for sleeping, and the seats in the living area converted into beds.

Here’s a happy Futuro family hanging out in the built-in seating area of the living room, above (do you think the kids have Tang in those cups?), and a mod mom cooking up something in the streamlined kitchen, below:

Here’s the inside of the Wisconsin Futuro’s kitchen today, which is much less colorful (I wonder if these cabinets used to be red, too?):

Check out the cool purple fireplace, below. And the mom’s white go-go boots:

Here’s a photo of a Futuro living room with a similar fireplace in it today (sadly, this one isn’t purple, and it’s hard to imagine anyone wearing white boots in here):

The Futuro House website explains that the Futuro house was short-lived because the high oil prices in the early ’70s sent the price of plastic skyrocketing, adding, “I personally think it was the lack of closet space which really turned off most women…and of course the men could not convince them that this was a wise purchase.”

I don’t know. If my husband wanted to buy one that still had that red kitchen, blue living room, and purple fireplace, I might be persuaded to park one in the backyard. How about you?

For more photos and information about the Futuro:

If You?re Hooked on Famous Architecture:

A Futuro being air-lifted in Sweden in 1969. Photo courtesy ArcSpace.

Maya:
February 14th, 2008 at 7:22 am

Yeah, baby! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!

Wait a minute, I’ll be back — I’ve got to get on a plane to Wisconsin!!

Melinda:
February 14th, 2008 at 9:13 am

Woah, that’s grooveee baybeee !

Have you ever seen the “spaceship” house in nky ? It’s on the hill overlooking cork & bottle. WILD!

hookedonhouses:
February 14th, 2008 at 9:32 am

Melinda–
It IS wild. Love it. If anyone wants to see a video of the silver spaceship house she’s talking about, watch the “news report with interior tours” that I link to at the end of the post. It gives the history of that house, as well as some more information on the Wisconsin vacation rental I featured in this entry (it was shown on “Extreme Homes” years ago–anyone remember that episode?).
-Julia

FuturoMan:
February 14th, 2008 at 10:03 am

FuturoMan Sez

Happy VD ( Valentine’s Day)

Thanks for including my site
Futuro-House.net<

I am a proud owner or one in central Illinois.

I am thinking about selling it. If there is anyone SERIOUSE in wanting to buy it give me a shout.

FuturoMan@futuro-house.net

hookedonhouses:
February 14th, 2008 at 10:14 am

Welcome, FuturoMan! Your site is way cool. Thanks for all the fun pics and great info. Everyone should stop by just to see the alien riding the pink flamingo on the front page! -Julia

Drew:
March 22nd, 2008 at 7:50 pm

Hi, nice article! I am the owner of the “pod” in Wisconsin. It was really a great find and we love it a lot. We are renting it in the summer and people are really having a fun time, renting quickly! A great lake, beautiful area and down-to-earth people make it a vacation you will not forget.

http://www.podupnorth.com

Later!

Drew

hookedonhouses:
March 22nd, 2008 at 7:55 pm

Welcome, Drew! Is your pod the one I featured at the top of this post? Love it!

Drew:
March 22nd, 2008 at 7:59 pm

Yes it is… Thanks!