Back to the futuro

We love to look back at the past, although sometimes its painful having seen how little our species has learned over the decades. So, it’s a bit of a thrill to be able to rewind to something unique and rather amazing that was born, faded away and then has come sharply into focus once again: sometimes a good idea never dies.

Way back when, in the optimistic 1950’s, the space race was on between the US and Russia. The prospects were terrifying if either country decided to attack the other; it felt like it was a real possibility, but the powers-that-be called off the face-off and humanity then returned to some form of sanity. A happy byproduct of that whole mess was the world’s new infatuation with space, technology and looking forward, with heads held high into the brave new world. If we cast the war elements aside for now, we can look over our shoulders to see what the everyday people wanted. They wanted peace, of course, but they also wanted something new. So, combine the love of the future with wide open minds, design shot through the roof.

One aspect of this new optimism was to cast off the old when it came to building. And one of the best and most promising outcomes was promise of Space Age Living: no more ticky-tacky boxes, just the same. Thus, behold the Futuro house.

A Futuro house, or Futuro Pod, is a round, prefabricated house designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen, of which fewer than 100 were built during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The shape, reminiscent of a flying saucer, and the structure’s airplane hatch entrance has made the houses sought after by collectors. Read more here. Sadly though, these groovy and sensible dwellings came and went before their time. However, though, some still exist and – even better – you can stay in them. Tripadvisor have the Futuro House at Marston Park in the UK available click here to book your George and Jane Jetson holiday. Some content courtesy of Tripadvisor.