The Finnish architect Matti Suuronen designed and built a series of ovaloid,
flying-saucer-like houses out of fibreglass in the late 1960s.
He called them Futuro. Suuronen's houses were comfortably large but light
enough to be carried to remote sites by helicopter.
The Futuro is approx. 11 feet high and 26 feet across. A hatch door in its
lower half opened down to reveal steps, like the door of a small airplane,
and led into a room outfitted with six plastic bed-chair combinations and a
central fireplace slab, as well as a kitchenette, a bathroom and one small
bedroom.
Many say the demise of the Futuro was due to the high prices oil reached in the
early 1970s', which sent the price of plastic skyrocketing, along with changing
fashions. 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.
There are about 96 Futuros out there somewhere and hopefully they can all be
accounted for one way or another.
If anyone has any information on the Futuro I would love to hear from you!!
|