I took this photo yesterday and then did some research to find out more about it. A Finnish architect designed this UFO shaped dwelling in 1968, initially for use as a ski-cabin or vacation home. The idea behind the design reflects the optimism of the sixties. At the time people believed technology could solve all problems for the human race. The ideal was of a new era, a space-age, where everybody would have more leisure time to spend on holidays away from home.
The Futuro house was completely furnished and could accommodate 8 people. It was constructed entirely out of reinforced plastic, a new, light and inexpensive material back then. The plan was to mass-produce it, so it would be cheap enough to house all people around the earth. Because it was so light-weight, it was easily transportable by helicopter. Mobile living was the new possibility for the future. People could now take their moveable home with them, to wherever they went, and live like modern nomads.
Unfortunately the 1973 oil crisis spoiled all these plans. Prices of plastic raised production costs too high to be profitable. Only 96 Futuro houses were ever built; 19 of those are in the USA. This one is located on Pensacola Beach.
i think it was the drugs that did them in.... :0)
ReplyDeleteIt would have been nice had many more been built to provide cheap housing.
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