The Futuro House

The Naugatuck Daily News was published in Naugatuck, CT from 1895 through 1999. The 022592 issue included a very brief paragraph noting that the "Home Show March 4-11 at Hynes Auditorium" would feature a model of a Futuro.

A little more information about this event can be found in the 030572 issue of the Boston Globe where the Futuro is described as being "an ultra modern fiber glass house by Futuro Leisure Living of Lawrence"; a company that we have not heard referenced anywhere else as being involved in either the manufacture or marketing of the Futuro.


The Stars And Stripes is a US Military newspaper. The Pacific Stars & Stripes of 090168 included an article about Futuro and specifically about Futuro #000, the original prototype (now part of the collection of the the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, Netherlands).

The article, one of the earliest we have come across, reports on Futuro #000 during the time it was owned by Jaakko Hiidenkari (who originally asked Matti Suuronen to design the ski chalet that ultimately became the Futuro House) and located on his property in Turenki, Finland.

One exterior photograph and a couple of interior photographs accompany the article.


Florida based daily morning newspaper the Pensacola News Journal traces its heritage back to 1889 according to Wikipedia. The 120205 issue includes an article on the Pensacola Beach Futuro and its owner Victoria Clarkin.

The article reports that once hurricane related repairs were completed Clarkin would be converting the Futuro into a museum for the Pensacola Beach Preservation and Historic Society (the Futuro survived Hurricane Ivan in 2004 among others over the years).

The article indicates that the Futuro had been in Pensacola Beach for over 30 years (this is likely the only location this Futuro has ever occupied) and that Clarkin had purchased it in 1998.

It also provides a quirky "historical anecdote" when it quotes Mark Clarkin as stating that the ramp leading up to the Futuro was modeled after the one seen in the 1951 sci-fi classic film "The Day The Earth Stood Still".

But perhaps the most interesting aspect of the article is the inclusion of two interior photos of the Futuro as seen in the newspaper shots below.


The 070974 issue of Philadelphia Daily News reported on a Futuro House located at 6th St. across from Washington Square in Philadelphia, PA. The Futuro had been destroyed in a fire a few days previously.

This is one of several newspaper articles that document Futuros at multiple locations in Philadelphia during the early 1970's.

Other articles appeared in The Evening Journal (090969), The Philadelphia Inquirer (031670) and The Philadelphia Inquirer (010772). Detailed information about all of these articles can be found on the "Lost Souls" page.


A very short article in the 012469 issue of the Port Huron, Michigan based newspaper The Times Herald reported on a Futuro "being readied for display at a building fair in Essen, Germany".

With a publication date of January 1969 this is one of the earlier Futuro House related newspaper articles we have come across and the Essen building fair to which it refers would also have been one of the earlier exhibitions to feature a Futuro House.

The article is accompanied by two photos, one exterior and one interior. The exterior photo appears to be of the original Futuro prototype (#000) during the time it was located on the property of Jaakko Hiidenkari in Turenki, Finland (it is now in the collection of the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, Netherlands).


The Press And Sun Bulletin is a daily newspaper serving the area around Binghamton, New York.

The 031875 issue of the newspaper included a short article on the Futuro accompanied by a single photo.

The Futuro House is described as a "Lunar Capsule ... manufactured by the Casa 2 Corp". The article suggests uses such as a "vacation home, ski lodge, beach house, guest house, studio, penthouse, branch bank, office, school pod, cocktail lounge, motel or whatever" and reports the price as being $25,000 fully furnished.

The photo is actually a photo of the first Futuro displayed in the US at the Philadelphia International Airport in 1969.


Savon Sanomat is a Finnish daily newspaper published in Kuopio. In the 042112 issue there is an article about Futuro #001 and its restoration prior to being installed at WeeGee Exhibition Center in Espoo, Finland.

The article also references the company Ekin Muovi which was involved (we believe) in the restoration of Futuro #001 (Ekin Muovi was also involved in the 2001 project to restore the Futuro now located in Kauhava and then transport and display it at the 7th International Istanbul Biennial in the grounds of the Ottoman Mint at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey).

Photos accompanying the article include a number of post restoration interior detail and exterior shots we believe would have been taken at the Ekin Muovi shop prior to the unit being moved to WeeGee.

This article is one of a number of very similar (at least as far as we can tell given that we cannot read Finnish) newspaper articles published around this time. Others can be found here, here and here.




The 012216 issue of Swedish newspaper Söderhamns Kuriren included, on page 32, a half page article on the Stråtjära Futuros.

The article is written by Swedish journalist Fredrik Björkman who has written several articles referenced on this website (most recently this article from helahalsingland.se which is also about Stråtjära).

In this article we learn that when one of the Futuros is offered for sale in 2016 by Fortifikationsverket the municipality of Söderhamn is likely to make an offer with the intention to then renovate the unit.

More information can be found on the Stråtjära page.


The Tampa Bay Times is published in St. Petersburg, Florida. It has a long history having been around since the late 1800's. It was called the St. Petersburg Times until 2011.

The 012409 issue of the St. Petersburg Times included an article titled "Unmistakably Tampa Bay" that suggests that "Some unique landmarks, from stately to peculiar, leave no doubt that you're in the Tampa Bay area".

One of those landmarks was the Tampa Bay Futuro sitting atop the 2001 Odyssey strip club. We are not sure we would ever describe the Futuro as "stately", particularly when sitting atop a strip club, so we assume they are suggesting the Futuro is peculiar; we are sure many think just that though not us.

The Northern Territory News published a supplement titled "Cyclone Tracy: 30th Anniversary" in December 2004. It included an article about Peter Dermoudy's Darwin Futuro which includes both pre and post Cyclone Tracy photos of the Futuro.

The pre cyclone photo of the Futuro included in the supplement was a shot that included two vehicles; an MG TC and a Valiant Charger (the photo is very similar to this shot in which the Futuro is seen with the Valiant Charger and a VW Beetle).

The MG TC actually outlasted the Futuro by decades. Richard Townley purchased the MG TC from Dermoudy in 1975 and has owned it to this day. More information can be found in the Darwin section of the Demolished Futuros page.


Florida based daily morning paper the Pensacola News Journal traces its heritage back to 1889 according to Wikipedia. The 072871 issue includes an interesting article on the Pensacola Beach Futuro.

The article provides general Futuro background and information along with a little interesting history in respect of this particular Futuro.

First the article confirms that the Futuro arrived on Panferio Drive prior to 072871. We had previously thought that it was likely this Futuro had always been located at its current location; given its arrival so early that now seems all but certain.

The article goes on to tell us that the Futuro was owned by one Dr. William R. Rundles who was "the franchised dealer for Futuro Homes in Northeast Florida". We had not previously heard of Dr. Rundles as a "player" in the early 70's "Futuro world".

Finally the article provides some reasons for the Futuro being mounted atop another structure indicating that local authority requirements dictated that the Futuro be "tied" to another structure. The contractor responsible for bolting and then sealing together the two halves of the Futuro (that had arrived on flat bed trucks) and then raising the unit by crane (see this photo) to its current position described the block foundation as a:

"sort of family room and extra sleeping space ... in this case we had to meet space requirements of the Santa Rosa Island Authority but in some areas they are putting the vacation houses directly on the ground."

Dr. Rundles adds:

"It's true that you have to have 900 square feet of living space but I really wanted to put this up where it would be shown off to best advantage and where we would have a view of the gulf and the sound."

The article ends by informing the reader that there would be an "open house" the following weekend; presumably Dr. Rundles was using his Futuro as a "marketing tool".


According to Wikipedia the Pensacola News Journal, a Florida based daily morning newspaper, traces its heritage back to 1889.

The 080507 issue featured an article titled "7 Wonders Of Pensacola" on pages 1E and 3E. The Pensacola Beach Futuro made #3 on the list.

The article plays the "alien card" and describes the "Spaceship House" as being "the perfect site for an alien vacation". It does not provide any detailed information about Futuro in general or Pensacola Beach specifically and it incorrectly reports that it is "one of 20 Futuro Houses designed by Matti Suuronen"; the number of Futuros manufactured is probably closer to 100 (see the "Where Are They Now" page for more information).


Pieksämäen Lehti is a "three day newspaper" published in Pieksämäen. The 041812 issue included an article about Futuro #001 and its restoration prior to being installed at WeeGee Exhibition Center in Espoo, Finland.

The article also references the company Ekin Muovi which was involved (we believe) in the restoration of Futuro #001 (Ekin Muovi was also involved in the 2001 project to restore the Futuro now located in Kauhava and then transport and display it at the 7th International Istanbul Biennial in the grounds of the Ottoman Mint at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey).

Photos accompanying the article include one post restoration shot that was likely taken at the Ekin Muovi shop prior to the Futuro's move to WeeGee.

This article is one of a number of very similar (at least as far as we can tell given that we cannot read Finnish) newspaper articles published around this time. Others can be found here, here and here.


Savon Sanomat is a Finnish daily newspaper published in Kuopio. In the 120111 issue there is an article about Futuro #001 and its restoration prior to being installed at WeeGee Exhibition Center in Espoo, Finland.

The article also references the company Ekin Muovi which was involved (we believe) in the restoration of Futuro #001 (Ekin Muovi was also involved in the 2001 project to restore the Futuro now located in Kauhava and then transport and display it at the 7th International Istanbul Biennial in the grounds of the Ottoman Mint at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey).

Photos accompanying the article include a pre restoration shot and a number of shots of the Futuro during restoration in a disassembled state that we imagine would have been taken at the Ekin Muovi shop prior to the unit being moved to WeeGee.

This article is one of a number of very similar (at least as far as we can tell given that we cannot read Finnish) newspaper articles published around this time. Others can be found here, here and here. That said this particular article was published a few months prior to the others when the restoration was not as far advanced and so, unlike the other articles, this one does not include a photo of the restored Futuro in an assembled state.




The 040370 issue of the Scranton, PA based Scranton Tribune carried a short Futuro article accompanied by a single photo.

The article reports that the Futuro which had been on display for more than a year on Philadelphia city property had been forced by the city to relocate. The Futuro had previously been located at 20th & The Parkway and had been relocated to a parking lot a couple of blocks away. Information about the previous location can be found here.

The same photo appeared a week later in the Latrobe Bulletin and the Philadelphia Inquirer on 010772 reported on the Futuros removal from the parking lot some 20 months later.


The Tampa Bay Times is published in St. Petersburg, Florida. It has a long history having been around since the end of the 1800's. It was called the St. Petersburg Times until 2011.

The 010209 issue of the St. Petersburg Times carried a short article about the Tampa Bay Futuro that sits atop the 2001 Odyssey strip club. It was accompanied by a small photo of the Futuro.

The article was a lighter hearted "strip club related" follow up to an actual news story about a local strip club owner. It provides a little generic Futuro history and then goes on to describe how the standard Futuro entry was replaced with "wildly carpeted stairs (that) lead to a round black-lighted room with a bar and a circle of tiny, private booths." The article ends with the observation that "in this Futuro, the windows stay completely covered."