Living in the future of the past

September 15, 2016 9:19 AM

There are about 60 remaining Futuro ("Flying Saucer") houses left in the world. Sometimes helicoptered into place, and with a groovy interior, these 1960s prefab homes were originally built for skiing (apparently you can still rent one in the Russian Caucus) and vacations. Now, some are abandoned, though one was recently restored and put on display.
posted by blahblahblah (19 comments total)

Caucus =/= Caucasus Mountains
posted by clockzero at 9:32 AM on September 15, 2016

There's something very touching about the spirit of naïve optimism that informed this type of design. Too bad we made such a botch of things.
posted by Atom Eyes at 9:36 AM on September 15, 2016 [1 favorite]

I would love one of these, personally. A modernized version, I mean. For some reason, it has been my dream since childhood to live in a circular house. (I spent a couple of summers in a 30' diameter yurt, which was fantastic.) And my ideal home is quite small—but connected by covered walkway to a very large workshed.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 9:53 AM on September 15, 2016 [5 favorites]

Doesn't look like those windows open. That's a big fail for me.
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:07 AM on September 15, 2016 [1 favorite]

I just went to the one in Hatteras and met the owner! It was awesome.
posted by josher71 at 10:08 AM on September 15, 2016 [2 favorites]

Too bad we made such a botch of things.

Yeah, the pictures in the "abandoned" link are a bit too metaphorically on the nose for my comfort.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:09 AM on September 15, 2016

I see at the "recently restored" link that some past occupant had slapped in makeshift openable windows in a couple of the portholes.
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:10 AM on September 15, 2016

The second link thefuturohouse.com in the first link of this post has a more complete list. The Futuro house that became a strip club 2001 Odyssey NSFW right on Dale Mabry in Tampa, is indeed, still there and not on the map in the first link. In fact, that club's insane gimmick was the first Futuro house I ever laid eyes on.
posted by cyclotronboy at 10:18 AM on September 15, 2016

This is cool. Sorta reminds me of Lesters' Sky Ranch.
posted by clavdivs at 10:23 AM on September 15, 2016 [1 favorite]

Reminds me a little of the Dymaxian house. My wife is especially upset that they never really took off. After seeing one at the Henry Ford Museum, as neat as it is I'm not too upset it never went anywhere.
posted by angryostrich at 10:53 AM on September 15, 2016 [1 favorite]

This double-futuro "alien duplex" in Carlisle, Ohio is just a couple miles from where some of my family still lives. It's a pretty depressed area between Cincinnati and Dayton -- mostly little towns that were built in the late 19th century with much optimism that then failed to grow; gradually abandoned light industry; dirt farms; and trailer parks. Bonus: it's in John Boehner's former congressional district.

In other words, the perfect place to find a decrepit fibreglas house shaped like the 1960s idea of a futuristic home.

There used to be (that's to say, in the 1970s) another one in the same general area, on a farm. I think it was yellow. I can remember driving and cycling by it in the early 1970s; it already appeared decrepit then, had weeds growing around it. It does not appear to be on their list, and I can't remember quite where it was, but at one time at least, there was another one somewhere in rural SW Ohio.
 
posted by Herodios at 11:03 AM on September 15, 2016 [1 favorite]

Selma: It's so modern. It's ultramodern, like living in the not-too-distant future.
posted by 445supermag at 11:50 AM on September 15, 2016 [3 favorites]

I live about five miles from this one.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 11:54 AM on September 15, 2016

I would love one of these, personally. A modernized version, I mean. For some reason, it has been my dream since childhood to live in a circular house. (I spent a couple of summers in a 30' diameter yurt, which was fantastic.) And my ideal home is quite small—but connected by covered walkway to a very large workshed.

You should check out Monolithic Dome Homes.
posted by Beholder at 12:41 PM on September 15, 2016 [1 favorite]

It's ultramodern, like living in the not-too-distant future.

Living in a round house is 'just around the corner'.
 
posted by Herodios at 1:22 PM on September 15, 2016 [3 favorites]

You can't live in a round house with a child - there's no Time Out corner to sit in!
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:25 PM on September 15, 2016

Signal Mountain, TN has a wonderful flying saucer house.
posted by nofundy at 6:57 PM on September 15, 2016

The one in Royce city at the top of the page is right near us. I've been trying to track down the owner for years, because I would buy it, move it to my land, restore it, and have the best office in the world.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 5:13 AM on September 16, 2016

Here's one for sale in Sweden: Futurohus, one of two formerly owned by the swedish defense department.
posted by Petersondub at 4:12 AM on September 22, 2016