The Spaceship

The Futuro House: Spaceship Living On Earth (1965)

Introduced at the Finnexpo fair in 1968, the Futuro concept was created by architect Matti Suuronen, to be plonked on a block of land ideally as a home away from home.

 . © Matti Suuronen, Espoo City Museum 

 
Its walls are made of fiberglass-reinforced polyester shells with a sandwich layer of polyurethane foam providing insulation. In order to make assembly and dismantling easier, the house was manufactured in 16 arc segments which could be assembled on site in the space of only two days. A total of 16 double-glazed windows afford a panoramic view right round. There are unfortunately no records of how many FUTURO houses were sold in total. At a conservative estimate there were originally around 70 of them, of which around 60 are still in existence today.

With thanks to Judy Carrol.

Interior specifications varied as each one could be purchased either as just a shell, or with various modular interior elements. The most commonly accepted interior specification is of an entrance hall, bathroom, kitchenette, living area with open fireplace and six seat-bed’s, and a bedroom/dressing room.

The unit we refer to at Lost Perth was placed atop an ornamental lake situated at the corner of Apsley Road and Burren Gate and those considering purchasing a block of land in the new subdivision of Burrendah could climb a small set of steps and walk into the Spaceship. A land sales office sat beyond the Futuro for those with queries about the area.

When no longer required, the spaceship was placed at the corner of Karel Avenue and Leach Highway for many years where so many of us remember it so well.

With thanks to slwa_b3116765_1

 
The Futuro was launched in 1969 and began to be licensed around the world.
However, with the oil crisis of 1973, the manufacturing costs of the Futuro House tripled and put an end to its hopes of mass production.

The demise of The Leach Highway Spaceship saw the council and Main Roads WA not come to an agreement so the craft was dismantled and given to The Barking Gecko Theatre but with no use it was taken to Maida Vale to with a dream of being reassembled as a dance studio but this never happened and it sits ruined in the bush.

Can it be resurrected?