The Futuro House

The Futuro House was conceived by Matti Suuronen in 1968 as a "portable" ski chalet. It is an iconic piece of architecture and this site is devoted to documenting the history of the Futuro and the current status and whereabouts of the remaining examples.





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About "Things Futuro" | TheFuturoHouse.com Collection

Our interest in the Futuro House quickly became our passion for the Futuro House and eventually, perhaps some might say, our obsession with the Futuro House. We collect books, magazines, collectibles and other items that relate to the Futuro House in some way. As is the case with all collections it started off relatively small with easy to obtain pieces but over time it has become quite extensive and worthy of "Futuro Nuts".

The collection contains all manner of items from unique original pieces from the early days of Futuro through contemporary mass-produced items and everything in between. The collection currently (as of the date of the latest addition/update to this page) comprises 550 physical items plus 164 "digital" items (in particular digital copies of newspaper articles) and these pages are effectively the collection's "catalog".

Additional items can also be found in The Charles Cleworth Futuro House Archive and in several smaller collections and archives.

As is the case with most collectors we are always looking to add to this collection so if you have Futuro related items for sale or know of any Futuro items for sale please let us know.

A Few Notes Relating To This Collection
  • Out Of Date Item Descriptions: Item descriptions were accurate at the time collection items were acquired but may have become outdated since. In the event that information pertaining to an item has changed following the reference links in item descriptions will take you to pages where that updated information can be found.
  • Translation: There are a number of items in this collection in languages other than English. While Google Translate can be a valuable tool it is never as good as a true translation by a bi-lingual person. Such items will display a "Translate" icon. If you are able and would be willing to translate an item please click the "Translate" icon for that item to send an email requesting high res files for the purposes of translation. Thank you in advance for any help you can offer. You would receive full attribution for the translation along with a link to your own website (or other website of your choosing) and you would also have the satisfaction of knowing your are contributing to the Futuro knowledge store here on this website.
  • Copyright: These pages contain photographs of various books, magazines and other items in this collection. Many of these items, and certainly the majority of the books and magazines are subject to copyright and the images are deliberately of a fairly low resolution and are used here simply to catalogue this collection and to provide you with a glimpse of what you would be getting if you chose to follow a similar path to us and purchase any of these items for yourself. If you wish to display any of this subject matter on your own website or otherwise use it please respect the publishers copyright and purchase your own copy.
  • Amazon Links: These pages are not aimed at advertising and we are not trying to sell you anything. However, there are expenses with keeping up a website such as this and we spend a great deal of time researching and trying to maintain this site as the most up to date and complete Futuro House resource on the web. So if, and only if, you already intend to purchase for yourself something we have in this collection please consider using the links provided here to do so if the price is right (we strongly suggest exploring other online retailers as well before making a purchase; most of the links here are to Amazon and while their prices are almost always competitive they are not always the cheapest). Doing this will not increase your cost but it will earn us a small (and it is small) commission on the sale that will be put towards our recurring web hosting costs. You know what the proverbial "they" say - every little helps!
  • Item Loans: We have in the past loaned items to institutions for various exhibitions (details here) and, on a case by case basis, are prepared to do so again in the future. If you are interested in such a loan please contact us with details of the Institution and/or Exhibition making the inquiry, the dates the items would be required and which items you are interested in displaying.
Sections Of The Collection

Magazines T-Z

Listed below are magazines (titles T-Z) related to Futuro included in this collection.

Latest Update(s)/Addition(s) ***
  1. Tekniikan Maailma | September 1968 Issue | Finnish | Purchased 032715
  2. Tekniikan Maailma | July 1973 Issue | Finnish | Purchased 070715
  3. Teknikens Värld | 051768 Issue | Swedish | Purchased 100715
  4. Texas Highways | October 2017 | Purchased 110917
  5. The Last Whole Earth Catalog: Access To Tools | July 1971 Issue | Purchased 111612
  6. The Modernist | Issue 16 Experiment | Received 101415
  7. TM Rakennus-maailma | 6/12 | 070412 Issue | Finnish | Purchased 041814
  8. Tuulilasi | Issue 6 1972 | Finnish | Purchased 020918
  9. Ultra | Issue 6/1990 | Finnish | Purchased 050618
  10. Usbek & Rica | #25 | Winter 2019 Issue | Purchased 060519
  11. Vanity Fair | January 2012 Issue | Purchased 080212
  12. Vintage Life | #11 | Autumn 2014 Issue | Japanese | Purchased 070615
  13. VSD | #1600 | 042308 Issue | French | Purchased 101519
  14. Weird N.J. | #21 | October 2003 Issue | Purchased 101512
  15. Weird N.J. | #22 | May 2004 Issue | Purchased 100312
  16. Weird N.J. | #23 | October 2004 Issue | Purchased 100312
  17. Weird N.J. | #36 | May 2011 Issue | Purchased 121512
  18. Whole Earth Catalog: Access To Tools | Fall 1969 Issue | Purchased 102712
  19. Whole Earth Catalog: Access To Tools | Spring 1970 Issue | Purchased 102712
  20. Wonen Nu | Volume 4 No 12 | October 1970 Issue | Dutch | Purchased 120821
  21. *** World Of Wonder | #91 | 121871 Issue | Purchased 052022
  22. X Magazin | Issue 1/1972 | German | Puchased 101415

Tekniikan Maailma - September 1968 | Purchased 032715

Tekniikan Maailma September 1968 - CoverTranslateThe September 1968 issue of the Finnish publication Tekniikan Maailma includes a multi-page article that references the Futuro House.

Tekniikan Maailma (or "Technology World" according to Google Translate) is, according to Wikipedia "one of the leading automobile magazines ... in Finland, and the biggest all around technology magazine in Scandinavia". It was first published in 1953.

The article spans, we think, pages 58-65 and is titled "Asuntotuotanto Kuplii" or "Housing Bubbles" according to Google Translate. The magazine's cover art also features the Futuro. The article is lengthy and to date we have not had the time to type it into Google Translate so we have no idea what it says or even if it is specifically about the Futuro or more general in nature.

The word Futuro itself cannot be found in the article but given the date of the magazine, September 1968, this is not surprising; as we know the Futuro first received that name following the October 1968 Finnfocus Export Fair held in London, England.

Tekniikan Maailma September 1968 | Pages 58-59

Tekniikan Maailma September 1968 | Pages 60-61

Tekniikan Maailma September 1968 | Pages 62-63

Tekniikan Maailma September 1968 | Pages 64-65

The Modernist - #16/Experiment | Received 101415

The Modernist - Issue 16 - Experiment - CoverThe UK based Manchester Modernist Society publication The Modernist describes itself as "a quarterly magazine about 20th century architecture & design".

Issue #16 Experiment published in September 2015 includes an article on the Futuro House written by "yours truly".

The article is a brief history of Futuro with an extra focus on Futuro in the UK in the latter sections.

Our thanks to Dan Birch and Brian M. Carr who contributed photos for the article and to Eddy Rhead who invited us to contribute to the magazine; it was a new and interesting experience.

And for the observant among you yes - there is a somewhat embarrassing typo in, of all places, the article title which sadly reads "Futoro House: Visions Of A Future Past". We would love to blame the publisher but we cannot completely do so since we traced the typo back to an initial draft we had sent "across the pond". Hopefully it does not detract too much from the article.

The Modernist - Issue 16 - Experiment - Pages 18-19

The Modernist - Issue 16 - Experiment - Pages 20-21

Tuulilasi - #6/1972 | Purchased 020918

TranslateAutomobile magazine Tuulilasi has been published in Helsinki, Finland since 1963. Issue 6 of 1972 included a very short piece on Futuro along with a single photo of the Pöytyä Futuro during its days in Luumäki. According to Google Translate the text translates to something like:

"A flying saucer or ufo has landed on the highways. At this moment, at least they are firmly anchored to the ground. Another of the UFOs is located on the highway 1 at Lahnajärvi, a cafe / restaurant in Palax. The second ufo is on the highway 6 in Luumäki. It also serves road users as a cafe building."

Tuulilasi - Issue 6 1972 - Cover

Tuulilasi - Issue 6 1972 -  Page 30

Usbek & Rica - #25/Winter 2019 | Purchased 060519

Usbek & Rica - #25/Winter 2019 - CoverUsbek & Rica is a quarterly French Magazine that describes itself as "Le magazine qui explore le futur" or "The magazine that explores the future".

Issue #25 (Winter 2019) of the publication contains a two page Futuro article. There is a single very short paragraph of text with a little general history and photos of some 15 or so Futuro locations.

Usbek & Rica - Issue 25 - Winter 2019 - Pages 14, 15

Vintage Life - #11/Autumn 2014 | Purchased 070615

TranslateJapanese publication Vintage Life showcases all things "retro" and Issue #11 (Autumn 2014) includes a short article on the Saint-Ouen Futuro on page 173 (text in Japanese though oddly most article titles/headers are in English) accompanied by a pair of photos and a couple of small drawings.

Vintage Life #11 Autumn 2014 - Cover

Vintage Life #11 Autumn 2014 - Page 173

Weird N. J. - #21/October 2003 | Purchased 101512

Issue #21 (October 2003) of Weird N.J. features an interesting article on the process of transporting the Greenwich Futuro to its current location. The article is accompanied by some very cool photos of the Futuro during the journey across New Jersey.

It is interesting to note that one of the photos appears very similar to a photo in the book Weird Maryland but it is not captioned there and the Greenwich Futuro is not mentioned in the book. the photos are not identical but one (the one in the magazine) is almost certainly a cropped version of the other.

This article provides some interesting pointers as to the whereabouts of the Futuro prior to Greenwich.

Weird N.J. #21 Cover

Weird N.J. #21 Page 63

Weird N. J. - #22/May 2004 | Purchased 100312

The magazine Weird N.J. certainly lives up to it's name, we doubt there are many quite so eclectic magazines out there. Having said that it does make for an interesting read and, should you ever be visiting New Jersey, it might even provide a few pointers as to things to do and see.

Page 15 of Issue # 22 (May 2004) features three short Futuro articles accompanied by three photos:
  • A little general Futuro history along with a photo of a page from the 1971 "Last Whole Earth Catalog" which features some original sales information including advertising the Futuro for $10,000 for just the shell or $14,000 fully equipped.
  • Some historical information about the Futuro that was a part of an amusement ride at Morey's Pier from the early 1970's until the mid 1980's. That Futuro was later located in Seaside Heights, NJ.
  • A short piece about the Futuro located in Willingboro, New Jersey along with a photograph.
Weird N.J. #22 Cover

Weird N.J. #22 Page 15

Whole Earth Catalog - Fall 1969 | Purchased 102712

The homepage on the publication's website tells us that "in 1968 Stewart Brand launched an innovative publication called The Whole Earth Catalog. It was groundbreaking, enlightening, and spawned a group of later publications." On the website most of the publications are chronicled and in many cases digital full text versions are available. The purpose of the publications is explained this way:

"We are as gods and might as well get good at it. So far remotely done power and glory - as via government, big business, formal education, church - has succeeded to the point where the gross defects obscure actual gain. In response to this dilemma and to these gains a realm of intimate, person power is developing - power of the individual to conduct his own education, find his own inspiration, shape his own environment, and share his adventure with whoever is interested. Tools that aid this process are sought and promoted by the WHOLE EARTH CATALOG."

The Whole Earth Catalog is probably not something you would sit down and read like a book but its eclectic and diverse content can be an interesting read in small doses and in among it all we find, on page 19, a short article on the Futuro House. The article is essentially a list of specifications with a couple of photos, pricing and contact information for the US Distributor.

Whole Earth Catalog Fall 1969 Cover

Whole Earth Catalog Fall 1969 Page 19

Whole Earth Catalog Fall 1969 Futuro Detail

Whole Earth Catalog - Spring 1970 | Purchased 102712

This was the second of two issues of The Whole Earth Catalog we purchased; the other was the Fall 1969 Issue and there is a little background on the publication in the narrative for that issue so we will not repeat it here.

In this issue there is a short article on the Futuro House on page 21. The article is essentially a list of specifications with a couple of photos, pricing and contact information for the US Distributor. The article in this issue is almost identical to the one on page 19 of the Fall 1969 Issue.

Whole Earth Catalog Fall 1970 Cover

Whole Earth Catalog Spring 1970 Page 21

Whole Earth Catalog Spring 1970 Futuro Detail

World Of Wonder - #91/121871 | Purchased 052022

World Of Wonder - #91/121871 - CoverFuturo owner Nick McQuoid recently posted photos of this magazine to his Instagram and when we saw it we just had to find a copy for this collection - and so here it is!

The publication, World Of Wonder Issue 91 121871, features art work on the cover and inside of the Futuro House along with commentary in an article titled "Up She Goes!" about future trends in housing.

World Of Wonder - #91/121871 - Pages 4 & 5

Tekniikan Maailma - July 1973 | Purchased 070715

Tekniikan Maailma July 1973 - CoverTranslateThe July 1973 issue of the Finnish publication Tekniikan Maailma includes a multi-page article about Casa Finlandia.

Tekniikan Maailma (or "Technology World" according to Google Translate) is, according to Wikipedia "one of the leading automobile magazines ... in Finland, and the biggest all around technology magazine in Scandinavia". It was first published in 1953.

The article spans pages 107-109 (thougth page 108 is just an unrelated full page ad) and includes photographs of the Futuro House (one exterior shot, an often used photo of Futuro #001 when it was located in Hirvensalmi, and one interior shot) along with a photograph and a couple of drawings of the CF-45 Venturo. The article text contains several references to Futuro but to date we have not had the time to enter it all into Google Translate to see what it actually says.

Tekniikan Maailma July 1973 Page 107

Tekniikan Maailma July 1973 Page 109

Teknikens Värld - 051768 | Purchased 100715

TranslateTeknikens Värld is, according to Wikipedia, a leading motor magazine published in Stockholm, Sweden. On page 26 of the 051768 issue there is a short paragraph on Futuro accompanied by a single photo. The photo is almost certainly of a unit at the Polykem manufacturing plant based on the appearance of the photo itself and the date of publication of the article.

The Futuro, as would be expected given the date of publication, is not actually referred to as such; it is described as a "summer house".

Teknikens Varld 051768 Issue - Cover

Teknikens Varld 051768 Issue - Page 26

Texas Highways - October 2017 | Purchased 110917

Texas Highways, published monthly by the Texas Department of Transportation, styles itself as "the travel magazine of Texas". The October 2017 issue included a single page article on the Royse City Futuro accompanied by a single photo.

Texas Highways October 2017 - Cover

Texas Highways October 2017 - Page 89

The Last Whole Earth ... - July 1971 | Purchased 111612

The Futuro House had made an appearance in two previous issues of the iconic Whole Earth Catalog series; it can be seen in the Fall 1969 and Spring 1970 issues. The article that appeared in the two previous issues was the same but in this version of the Catalog there is a condensed version; the content that is there is the same but there is less of it.

The Last Whole Earth Catalog Cover

The Last Whole Earth Catalog Page 92

TM Rakennus-maailma - #6-12/070412 | Purchased 041814

TranslateIssue 6/12 of Finnish magazine TM Rakennus-maailma features a multi-page article about the Futuro House on pages 96-102.

The article is in Finnish so we are unable to read it but based on the subjects of the many photographs that accompany the article it appears to be about the restoration of Futuro #001 which was originally located in Hirvensalmi, Finland and is now part of the collection of the WeeGee Exhibition Center in Espoo, Finland.

Rakennus-maailma 6/12 Cover

Rakennus-maailma 6/12 Page 102

Rakennus-maailma 6/12 Pages 96-97

Rakennus-maailma 6/12 Page 98

Rakennus-maailma 6/12 Page 100

Ultra - #6/1990 | Purchased 050618

Ultra Issue 6/1990 CoverFinnish publication Ultra was founded in 1972 as Ufoaika and changed its name to Ultra in 1976.

Ultra could be characterized as a "fringe publication" that addresses such subjects as parapsychology, paranormal phenomena and UFO's. The cover of issue 6/1990 features a photo of Futuro #001 in Hirvensalmi.

According to Google Translate the photo is captioned "ufo descends in the summer to Kotka", presumably a reference to the exhibition "Radar" of that same year which took place in Kotka, Finland.

Radar featured works by 16 artists and among them was Helsinki born Jussi Kivi. Kivi's contribution to Radar was the installation "The Eagle Has Landed - Unidentified Flying Object - An Exhibition About UFOs".

Kivi's installation consisted of two containers containing various UFO related paraphernalia along with Matti Suuronen's original prototype Futuro #000 (not the Futuro appearing on the magazine cover) rented for the purpose. More information about Radar and "The Eagle Has Landed" can be found here.

There is no "evident" mention of the Futuro inside the publication but likely we just missed it as there is no photo and the text is in Finnish.

Vanity Fair - January 2012 | Purchased 080212

Vanity Fair's January 2012 issue featured a single page article on the Los Angeles Futuro. The article is dominated by a very cool night time shot of the Futuro.

The text is brief and relates a little general commentary about the Futuro House and the 2009 purchase at auction (for $50,000) of this particular Futuro by current owner Mark Haddawy.

Vanity Fair Cover

Vanity Fair Page 29

VSD - #1600/042308 | Purchased 101519

VSD - #1600/042308 - CoverTranslateVSD is a publication described by Wikipedia as being "a French weekly news, celebrity and leisure magazine, published on Thursdays in France".

Issue #1600 (23-29 April 2008) carried a 4 page Futuro article titled "La Maison Futuro - Un Ovni Dans La Ville" or, translated "The Futuro House - A UFO In The City".

The first two pages carry only the title and a brief introduction superimposed on a photo of the Futuro located at the Philadelphia International Airport in 1969, the first Futuro to be seen in the USA.

The article itself is spread over pages 70 & 71 and, though it does appear to detail some general Futuro history, it is primarily about the Futuro brought back to Paris from the French countryside around the time the article was published (this Futuro is of course now located in Saint-Ouen). That said we have not yet had the article translated and so there may very well be more to the article that we can determine with our very limited understanding of the Franch language.

The article is accompanied by several photos, mostly of the Saint-Ouen Futuro including shots of it back in its CNIT days, as it appeared in the French countryside for many years and as it appeared right after the restoration that brought it back to Paris.

There is also a vintage interior photo (likely from early Futuro marketing materials) and a photo of the delivery of the first US "Spacebank" to the Woodbridge Mall in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey on 060272.

VSD Pages 68-69

VSD Pages 70-71

Weird N. J. - #23/October 2004 | Purchased 100312

Issue #23 (October 2004) of the magazine Weird N.J. features a captioned photo of the Frisco Futuro and a short article which references the two Delaware Futuros (Milton and Houston) and recounts the author's encounter with them during a trip; the article is accompanied by a photos of both Frisco & Houston.

It is interesting to note that this article which references two Futuros in Delaware appears in a magazine all about New Jersey and also appears in the book Weird Maryland.

Weird N.J. #23 Cover

Weird N.J. #23 Page 90

X Magazin - #1/1972 | Purchased 101415

X Magazin 1/1972 CoverTranslateIn 1971 an exhibition that featured many portable and plastic house designs took place in Lüdenscheid, Germany. Among the structures displayed at the Internationale Kunststoffhaus Ausstellung der Welt or IKA was a Futuro.

Issue 1/1972 of German publication X Magazin für Naturwissenschaft und Technik (X Magazine for Natural Science and Technology) included an article on the IKA on pages 44 through 47; the article is accompanied by multiple photos including one exterior and one interior Futuro shot along with a shot featuring multiple structures that includes a Futuro (a print of that photo from the Baltimore Sun archives can be found here).

X Magazin 1/1972 Pages 44-45

X Magazin 1/1972 Pages 46-47

Weird N. J. - #36/May 2011 | Purchased 121512

The May 2011 issue of the magazine Weird N.J. contains a very short article about the Greenwich Futuro on page 9. The article is reader submitted and is accompanied by a single photo.

Weird N.J. Issue 36 May 2011 Cover

Weird N.J. Issue 36 May 2011 Page 9

Wonen Nu | October 1970 | Purchased 120821

X Magazin 1/1972 CoverTranslateA Futuro House was exhibited during the C70 festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands which ran from 050570 through 100370. The October 1970 of the publication Wonen Nu features a great photo of this on the cover and includes Futuro twice inside the magazine.

First there is a photo and a brief description on the contents page and then on page 21 a longer article with a little general information and an interior photo. Most interesting perhaps is mention of a manufacturing facility in Rumbeke, Belgium and a price of ƒ45,000 excluding shipping (which is estimated at ƒ4,500). The article calls the structure a "Futuro-Bungalow".

Wonen Nu October 1970 Page 7

Wonen Nu October 1970 Page 21

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