After having this picture (on the right) go viral on our Facebook page, we decided to conduct further investigation into their history. Th
ere are several sites dedicated to tracking the whereabouts of current houses as well as the history of them. Here’s what we found in brief:
The Futuro, or Futuro House, is a round, prefabricated house designed by Matti Suuronen made in the late 60’s and 70’s. Completely furnished and could accommodate 8 people, it was originally designed as a “portable” ski chalet.
It was constructed entirely out of reinforced plastic, a new, light and inexpensive material – watch how they were transported easily transportable by helicopter.
The distinctive flying saucer like shape and airplane hatch entrance has made the houses popular among collectors. The Futuro is composed of fiberglass-reinforced polyester plastic, measuring 4 metres high and 8 metres in diameter.
The picture in the photo belongs to this person– check out more pictures (it’s really in sad condition) and the plans for restoration. It was originally a restaurant.
Some facts about the Futuro House production and survival:
- 70 Futuros were manufactured [see notes below for the basis of this number]
- 61 Futuros have been identified/confirmed at 56 separate locations
- 6 Futuros have been identified/confirmed as demolished
- 67 total Futuros are accounted for
- 3 or 4.3% of total Futuros are unaccounted for
For a fairly complete (and it looks like up to date) list of remaining houses – The Futuro House, Locations and Maps
This website seems to have the most comprehensive information (thanks for posting a link on our Facebook page).
Other great resources:
