Secret Cincinnati | Purchased 022819
Secret Cincinnati: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure written by Kathryn Witt is described as "an exuberant shout-out to all that makes Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky the sometimes weird and always wonderful place it is."
It is essentially a travel guide that lauds little (and little-known) treasures all over Cincinnati that is "told with wonder, humor, and a big dose of sentimentality".
The book includes a two page feature on the
Covington Futuro that includes a little general information and a single photograph.
- Author: Kathryn Witt
- Series: Secret
- Paperback: 208 pages
- Publisher: Reedy Press, LLC (October 1, 2018)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1681061872
- ISBN-13: 978-1681061870
- Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 8.9 inches
Sorry, Out Of Gas | Purchased 012913
Sorry, Out of Gas: Architecture's Response to the 1973 Oil Crisis edited by Giovanna Borasi and Mirko Zardini examines the response of the architectural world to the 70's oil crisis.
The opening chapter of the book provides a little historical background and discusses the architectural trends and ideas prevalent during the lead up to the crisis.
The Futuro, developed in the years leading up to the crisis, was of course a casualty of the crisis rather than a reaction to it and for that reason it gets a short paragraph in the opening chapter.
- Editors: Giovanna Borasi and Mirko Zardini
- Paperback: 236 pages
- Publisher: Edizioni Corraini/Canadian Centre for Architecture (January 1, 2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 8875701431
- ISBN-13: 978-8875701437
- Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7 x 0.9 inches
Southern Living Off The Eaten Path | Purchased 032217
Southern Living Off The Eaten Path: Favorite Southern Dives and 150 Recipes that Made Them Famous by Morgan Murphy is a cookbook that features recipes for items found at famous "dives" around the southern US.
Also included in the book is a series of small sections under the common title "Rubbernecker Wonder" that describe interesting sights that can be found in the regions the book "travels to" for its recipes. One of these sections features the
Pensacola Beach Futuro and includes a short description along with a single photo.
- Author: Morgan Murphy
- Series: Southern Living (Paperback Oxmoor)
- Flexibound: 256 pages
- Publisher: Oxmoor House; First edition. edition (May 10, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0848734459
- ISBN-13: 978-0848734459
- Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 1 x 9.2 inches
The 500 Hidden Secrets Of Munich | Purchased 100519
The 500 Hidden Secrets Of Munich by Judith Lohse is one in a large series of books under the title "500 Hidden Secrets". The books are essentially a sort of "tourist guide" though they go beyond most in attempting to provide a very robust and diverse list of places to visit and things to do.
In this case the subject of the book is Munich and
the Futuro located at the
Die Neue Sammlung (part of the
Pinakothek der Moderne) features on the cover. Unless we scanned through the book too quickly and managed to miss it the Futuro does not actually feature inside the book at all.
- Series: 500 Hidden Secrets
- Written By: Judith Lohse
- Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Uitgeverij Luster (November 21, 2018)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 9460582303
- ISBN-13: 978-9460582301
- Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.8 x 7.1 inches
The House Book | Purchased 082413
The House Book written by the Editors of Phaidon Press is a small book that packs in a whole lot of content.
At some 500 pages and a house per page this book is a fascinating look at all manner of houses from around the globe.
The Futuro House is featured on page 428 where we find a short general write up and a single black and white photograph. Even if you would not be interested in buying a book for a single Futuro reference you might consider this one; it makes for a very interesting read.
- Author: Editors of Phaidon Press
- Paperback: 520 pages
- Publisher: Phaidon Press (April 8, 2004)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0714843857
- ISBN-13: 978-0714843858
- Product Dimensions: 1.1 x 5 x 6.4 inches
The Iconic House: Architectural... | Purchased 121814
Dominic Bradbury's "coffee table" book
The Iconic House: Architectural Masterworks Since 1900 is, according to the
Wall Street Journal, "An insightful tour of one hundred remarkably innovative houses designed during the past century by architects including
Frank Lloyd Wright,
Frank Gehry and
Rem Koolhaas."
On page 23 of the book there is a short "generic" article on the Futuro. The article is accompanied by a single photograph of the first Futuro House manufactured in the USA while on display at Philadelphia Airport.
- Author: Dominic Bradbury
- Hardcover: 352 pages
- Publisher: Thames & Hudson (November 2, 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0500342555
- ISBN-13: 978-0500342558
- Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 11.25 x 1.5 inches
The Playboy Book: Forty Years | Purchased 082012
The Playboy Book: Forty Years edited by Gretchen Edgren is a lavish pictorial history of the first 40 years of
Hugh Hefner's Playboy empire.
The September 1970 issue of Playboy Magazine featured one of the best known articles on the Futuro House, "
Portable Playhouse", and may have been, at least in part, responsible for increased interest in the Futuro House in the US during the early 1970's.
This book contains a short paragraph referencing this article along with a couple of photographs.
- Editor: Gretchen Edgren
- Hardcover: 368 pages
- Publisher: General Pub Group; First Edition edition (May 1994)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1881649032
- ISBN-13: 978-1881649038
- Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.4 x 1.3 inches
The Sixties | Purchased 020714
The Sixties written by Lesley Jackson talks to design in the sixties and suggests that 60's design represented:
"
energy and fun: it was dynamic, cheap and cheerful and it prompted a consumer 'youthquake' revolution."
Page 102 features a couple of paragraphs on the Futuro and these are accompanied by a single photograph on page 103. The photo is a much used photo of the Hirvensalmi Futuro (now of course meticulously restored and located in
Espoo, Finland).
- Author: Lesley Jackson
- Paperback: 240 pages
- Publisher: Phaidon Press (January 3, 2000)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0714839639
- ISBN-13: 978-0714839639
- Product Dimensions: 0.9 x 10 x 11.5 inches
The Visual Dialogue | Purchased 101212
The Visual Dialogue written by Nathan Knobler is a somewhat odd book, at least to us, in that it is designed to help the reader "appreciate" art. We believe each of us appreciates the artistic in our own way and through our own perception of what is aesthetically pleasing and we need no help to do so.
Page 268 includes a brief paragraph on the Futuro House. A photograph of Futuro #001, at the time located in Hirvensalmi, Finland and now located at the
WeeGee Exhibition Center, Espoo, Finland accompanies the brief write up.
- Author: Nathan Knobler
- Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: Harcourt School; 3 Sub edition (June 1980)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0030493161
- ISBN-13: 978-0030493164
- Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8 x 0.7 inches
Transformations In Modern ... | Purchased 082012
Transformations In Modern Architecture written by Arthur Drexler is loosely based on an exhibition that took place at the
Museum Of Modern Art in New York during the period 022379 through 042479.
The book features some limited commentary but is largely composed of black and white photographs of architecturally significant and interesting buildings from around the world. It features a short paragraph on the Futuro house accompanied with a single photograph on pages 58-59 depicting a
series of Futuro models set up in a "sandbox" environment in 1969 (there is also a photograph of a
Venturo).
- Author: Arthur Drexler
- Paperback: 168 pages
- Publisher: Distributed by New York Graphic Society; 1st edition. edition (1979)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 087070608X
- ISBN-13: 978-0870706080
- Dimensions: 11.5 x 9 x 0.5 inches
Traveling Through Illinois | Purchased 060113
Traveling Through Illinois: Stories of Landmarks and Landscapes between Chicago and St. Louis written by LuAnn Cadden & Ted Cable is subtitled "Stories Of I-55 Landmarks & Landscapes Between Chicago & St. Louis". The book chronicles the authors travels and findings along the interstate (and it looks like an interesting roadtrip).
On pages 109 and 110 the book features a short article and a single photograph of the Futuro at the
Pink Elephant Antique Mall.
- Authors: LuAnn Cadden & Ted Cable
- Paperback: 192 pages
- Publisher: The History Press (May 10, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1626190488
- ISBN-13: 978-1626190481
- Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
Vision og Virkelighed ... | Purchased 061414
Vision og Virkelighed: Forestillinger om det 20 arhundrede / Vision and Reality: Conceptions of the 20th Century (Louisiana Revy September 2000) tells the story of the Vision & Reality exhibition which ran at the
Louisiana Museum Of Modern Art in
Humlebæk,
Denmark from 090100 through 011401.
Futuro #000 was exhibited at Vision & Reality and is referenced on page 79 of the book. The text of the book is in Danish though there is an insert which contains an English version of the book's forward.
- Author: Carsten Thau et al
- Paperback: 96 pages
- Publisher: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (2000)
- Language: Danish
- ISBN-10: Unknown
- ISBN-13: Unknown
- Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.25 x 0.37 inches
Where's My Space Age? | Purchased 080212
Where's My Space Age?: The Rise and Fall of Futuristic Design written by Sean Topham examines the rise, in the 1950's, of "space age" design in just about every facet of life to its subsequent decline in the 1970's.
Along the way the Futuro gets a brief mention on pages 63/64 while on page 66 we see one of the more widely published photographs of the Futuro, a blue (as it appears anyway) Futuro at night against a blue hued sky with a crescent moon which is, in our opinion, one of the coolest photos of a Futuro. The photo was taken at the Philadelphia International Airport where the Futuro made its first appearance in the USA.
- Author: Sean Topham
- Paperback: 160 pages
- Publisher: Prestel Publishing (May 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 3791328441
- ISBN-13: 978-3791328447
- Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8 x 0.6 inches
Xanadu: The Computerized ... | Purchased 050314
Xanadu: The Computerized Home of Tomorrow and How It Can Be Yours Today! written by Roy Mason, Lane Jennings & Robert Evans discusses the 1980's project described on
Wikipedia as "a series of experimental homes built to showcase examples of computers and automation in the home in the United States."
The book contains some photos but is largely illustrated using very rudimentary drawings. There is a brief mention of the Futuro House on page 195 accompanied by one such drawing on page 194 (that is clearly of the 1971
IKA Exhibition).
- Authors: Roy Mason, Lane Jennings & Robert Evans
- Hardcover: 260 pages
- Publisher: Acropolis Books Inc; First edition (November 1983)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0874917018
- ISBN-13: 978-0874917017
- Product Dimensions: 1 x 8.5 x 9.5 inches
Weird Maryland | Purchased 080212
Weird Maryland: Your Travel Guide to Maryland's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets written by Matt Lake features a very general two page article on the Futuro House.
Though not by name the article refers to two specific Futuros; the ones at
Milton and
Houston. Interestingly of course both of those are in Delaware and, as far as we know Maryland does not actually have a Futuro located in the state.
The article also features two very nice photographs, one of the Milton Futuro and a second showing an interesting Futuro "road transport" scene.
- Author: Matt Lake
- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Sterling (July 25, 2006)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1402739060
- ISBN-13: 978-1402739064
- Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 9.4 x 1.1 inches
Willingboro (NJ) (Images of America) | Purchased 020714
Willingboro (NJ) (Images of America) written by Josh Bernstein is one of a large number of titles (6147 at the time of writing according to the publisher) chronicling the history of small towns and downtowns across the USA in the "
Images Of America" series by
Arcadia Publishing.
The books are largely a pictorial record with limited text and this title is no exception. Page 105 features a photo of a Futuro (though referred to as a "Spacebank" not a Futuro in the book) being transported by helicopter to Mill Creek Park in 1973. For more see the
Willingboro Futuro page and our article on the "
Spacebanks", Futuros used as bank branches in the US and New Zealand.
- Author: Josh Bernstein
- Paperback: 128 pages
- Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (September 23, 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0738510882
- ISBN-13: 978-0738510880
- Product Dimensions: 0.4 x 6.3 x 9.3 inches
Secret Marvels of the World | Purchased 081817
Started in 1973,
Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel guide publisher with guidebooks to almost every destination on the planet. Lonely Planet's
Secret Marvels of the World: 360 Extraordinary Places You Never Knew Existed And Where To Find Them takes its readers "on a journey through some of the world's lesser known marvels".
Those lesser known marvels include, on page 280, the
Canberra University Futuro. There is a short and general article about the Futuro House which is accompanied by a single drawing.
- Series: Lonely Planet
- Hardcover: 304 pages
- Publisher: Lonely Planet; 1 edition (August 15, 2017)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1786578654
- ISBN-13: 978-1786578655
- Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 1.1 x 9.4 inches
Sisäänkäyntejä | Purchased 012117
The book Sisäänkäyntejä : Ainutlaatuisiin suomalaisiin koteihin, huoneisiin ja huviloihin ("Entrances: Unique Finnish homes, rooms and villas" according to Google Translate) published by
Helsingin Sanomat Books in 2008 contains a series of articles previously published in monthly supplements to the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat over the period 2001 to 2008.
One of these is a four page article about
Futuro #001, now restored and located at the
WeeGee Exhibition Center in
Espoo,
Finland, but previously owned by Finnish TV celebrity Matti Kuusla and located in
Hirvensalmi.
- Author: Sami Sykkör
- Photographer: Jaanis Kerkis
- Hardcover: 192 pages
- Publisher: Helsingin Sanomat Books (First Edition, 2008)
- Language: Finnish
- ISBN-10: 9525557219
- ISBN-13: 978-9525557213
- Product Dimensions: 13.5 x 8 x 1 inches
Strumenti E Metodi Per Il Controllo ... | Purchased 011416
Google translates
Strumenti E Metodi Per Il Controllo Della Qualità Del Costruire Vol. 2 - Materiali E Prodotti Per Il Controllo Della Qualità In Edilizia to "Tools And Methods For Control Of Quality Of Building Vol . 2 - Materials And Products For Control Of Quality In Construction"
The book, written by R. Franchino, contains a short paragraph on Futuro along with a single photo on page 142. The photo is of
Futuro #000 on display at the
SKOR Foundation For Art & Public Domain in
Amsterdam,
Netherlands (092801-010702).
- Author: R. Franchino
- Paperback: 202 pages
- Publisher: Alinea (January 1, 2005)
- Language: Italian
- ISBN-10: 8881259303
- ISBN-13: 978-8881259304
- Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
The Best of Bob Byrne's ... | Purchased 040417
The Best of Bob Byrne's Boomer Columns by Bob Byrne features an interesting variety of entertaining stories and recollections from the Adelaide area and the "baby boomer" years.
Pages 46 and 47 feature an article about Derek Jolley, Adelaide entrepreneur and "larger than life character". Jolley owned a Futuro that was located in the Adelaide area for many years. The article briefly talks about the Futuro and it is accompanied by a single photo (that also appears on the back cover of the book). Jolley's Futuro is now located in
Deep Creek, Australia.
- Author: Bob Byrne
- Paperback: 216 pages
- Publisher: University of New South Wales Press (March 1, 2017)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1742235271
- ISBN-13: 978-1742235271
- Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 10.2 x 0.6 inches
The House As A Product | Purchased 070816
The House As A Product (subtitled "Research In Architectural Engineering") written by A. Vogler is a largely academic publication which "describes the industrial process and examines industries that are often referred to in connection with the building industry such as automotive, aerospace and shipbuilding".
On page 24 there is a brief and very general paragraph on Futuro House. This is accompanied by a single photograph; an often used and iconic photo of the first US Futuro House exhibited at Philadelphia Airport.
- Author: A. Vogler
- Paperback: 196 pages
- Publisher: IOS Press (March 15, 2016)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1614995478
- ISBN-13: 978-1614995470
- Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 0.4 x 6.8 inches
The Plastics Architect | Purchased 062213
The Plastics Architect written by Arthur Quarmby is a 1974 book that, according to the cover notes, gave "real coverage to the architectural application of plastics, written especially for the architect."
Though interesting in its own right so far we have not been able to find any mention of the Futuro House in the text of the book (though we have to confess we have not spent a huge amount of time trying).
However; on page 121 we do find some Futuro House plans along with a single (and often used) photo of the
Hirvensalmi Futuro.
- Author: Arthur Quarmby
- Hardcover: 208 pages
- Publisher: Pall Mall Press (1974)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0269028250
- ISBN-13: 978-0269028250
- Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.6 x 1.1 inches
The Silence Calling | Purchased 091512
The Silence Calling: Australians in Antarctica 1947-97 written by Tim Bowden is a comprehensive and fascinating history of
ANARE (Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions).
This book also played a part in our research into the "
Googies", modified Futuros according to almost every reference online, which ultimately led us to conclude that they are something completely different and not in any way modfied Futuros. Read more about our research into the "Googies"
here.
- Author: Tim Bowden
- Hardcover: 624 pages
- Publisher: Allen & Unwin (September 1997)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1864483113
- ISBN-13: 978-1864483116
- Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.2 x 2 inches
Tomorrow Now: When Design ... | Purchased 121512
Tomorrow Now: When Design Meets Science Fiction written and edited by Nadine Clemens features texts on design and science fiction in the context of history, literature, film, architecture, fashion and art. It features full-color images from international exhibitions and archives.
This two volume set was published by
MUDAM to accompany the
exhibition of the same name held at the museum 052507 to 092407. The exhibition featured the Belgium Futuro (now located in
Limni, Corfu) and the book includes photos of the Futuro at the exhibition.
- Author & Editor: Nadine Clemens
- Paperback: 420 pages
- Publisher: Mudam Luxembourg; Bilingual edition (July 15, 2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 2919923633
- ISBN-13: 978-2919923632
- Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
Transparent Plastics | Purchased 092612
Transparent Plastics written by Simone Jeska documents the history of plastic as a building material from its initial use mainly in temporary and portable structures to the present day where it is featured much more prominently in permanent and sometimes large structures.
Page 13 features a very short commentary on the Futuro House along with a couple of nice black and white photographs. The appearance and placement of an "antenna" on the top of the Futuro suggests the photos are likely of the
Berlin Futuro.
- Author: Simone Jeska
- Hardcover: 159 pages
- Publisher: Birkhäuser Architecture; 1 edition (October 4, 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 3764374705
- ISBN-13: 978-3764374709
- Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches
Viennese Silver: Modern Design ... | Purchased 072914
Viennese Silver: Modern Design 1780-1918 asserts that
"
the history of modern design is not only older but much more multifaceted than commonly assumed and ... since (1918) ... many of ... the ideas of the Vienna avant-garde found their way into mass production; in this way have they trickled down into today's design vocabulary
Page 174 includes a photo of
Futuro #000 from the time it was at the
Utrecht Centraal Museum (there does not appear to be any mention of the Futuro in the text).
- Authors: Markus Brüderlin, William D. Godsey Jr., Michael Huey & Diether Halama
- Hardcover: 376 pages
- Publisher: Hatje Cantz Publishers (September 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 3775713174
- ISBN-13: 978-3775713177
- Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.5 x 1.4 inches
Wonder Architecture | Purchased 070221
The Japanese publication
Casa Brutus published articles on the Futuro in several of their issues; these can be found on
this page and some detailed information on the content of the articles post translation of the articles can be found
here.
Throughout the period of time covering the publication of those articles the editor of Casa Brutus was one Yoshikuni Shirai.
That same Yoshikuni Shirai wrote the book
Wonder Architecture published in 2020. As best we can tell the book is a compendium of sorts reprising the most interesting discoveries from Shirai's time with Casa Brutus.
Pages 010 thru 031 carry an article on Matti Suuronen, Futuro and Venturo. The article appears to be split into three sections which, interestingly for a publication in Japanese, all carry titles in English those being respectively "60's Super Future House", "Futuro House In Japan" and finally "Futuro's Brother House".
While we have yet to have the article translated it seems likely the first section recounts general Futuro history, the second history more specific to the two Japanese Futuros and the third provides a little information on another of Suuronen's creations, the Venturo.
The article is accompanied by quite a few photos including photos of
Futuro #000 (now in Rotterdam),
Futuro #002 (now in Estonia), the
Dombai Futuro as well as photos of the two Japanese Futuros (now located in
Karuizawa and
Maebashi). There are also photos of Futuros being transported, photos from the Polykem plant, fashion photos from
C.G.Hagström, photos of Futuro brochures (including one we have never seen for the "Space Banks" and others.
All in all we think this is one of the more interesting books to feature Futuro we have come across even though we cannot read it. We will get it translated at some point though our expectation is much of the info will be the same as that published in the various issues of Casa Brutus.
- Author: Yoshikuni Shirai
- Softcover: 152 pages
- Publisher: Fuso (October 28, 2020)
- Language: Japanese
- ISBN-10: 4594086276
- ISBN-13: 978-4594086275
- Product Dimensions: 11.75 x 0.7 x 9.2 inches