The Futuro House was designed in 1968 by a Finnish architect. He wanted to predict how we might live in the future. It was commissioned as a ‘holiday house’ or vacation home. It is just over 26 feet in diameter and came completely equipped with custom furnishings that fit the interesting shape of this house. He built 100 or so of these plastic houses which were made and sent around the world. It was considered “The genius of design” at the time.
This futuro house was first spotted in 1972 and was the land sales office at Apollo Parkways and then the Diamond Hills Estates in Greensborough. It was known locally as the flying saucer building. Originally red, the plastic bubble house landed in several locations to service the growing area. It was later painted yellow. The outline of the access door can be seen. When lowered it forms a stairway. It was sold to a private owner sometime after 1984 and presumably moved here around that time.
In June 2012 this futuro house featured as a part of a six episode documentary series on ABC1 Myf Warhurst’s Nice.
The house was located at the front of the property – Ultimate Karting Experience, McDonalds Road, Sth Morang, Victoria. In February 2018 the Herald Sun reported that the house had been accepted as a nominee for the Victorian Heritage Register. The land has since been sold and by July 2018 the house had been removed and placed into storage. The land is being developed for townhomes and a community playground has been constructed.
Other Futuro Houses are located at Lorne Victoria, Deep Creek, South Australia Canberra University and in Florida, USA
Updated 12 August 2020
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Photo: Liz Pidgeon
