“We’re in this glass and brass go-go cage dance party to the stars. Going up, I want to hear hypo-allergenic Telestar music, untouched by human hands. Anything computer-generated and played on a Moog synthesizer. I want to dance the frug on a TWA commuter flight go-go dance party to the moon where cool dudes and chicks do the mash potato under zero gravity and eat delicious snack pills. I want this.” – Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters
I have a problem, a fetish, an obsession really. One that goes well beyond my typically GenX compulsive attraction to 60s/70s hyper-kitsch. I just have this thing for retro-futurism. Specifically, 21st century lifestyle by way of 1960s speculation as aesthetic. Straight up fucking Jetsons shit; but sexy Jetsons if that makes any sense. I know that totally doesn’t; I don’t care.
So, like, I sigh audibly when I stumble across images of the Futuro Houses, a Finnish-designed miniature home originally issued in 1968 and designed specifically for vacation lodging. In the interest of full disclosure I also have a thing for, like, campers and other compact-designed lodging, so this just hits all sort of buttons. It’s just so impossibly perfect and orderly.
This shag carpet and tasteful art deco space future was alas not in the cards. Shortly after mass-production began, the oil embargo (and subsequent increase in the cost of plastic and polyester) instantly tripled the cost of the home, driving away customers. Fewer than 100 were purchased, most of which are currently in various states of tastefully dystopian decrepitude.
Whether relegated to roadside attraction, novelty diner, or hobby projects for the similarly obsessed (some are currently for sale!), they still capture the imagination. Even abandoned they remain in dignified tribute; a wistful milestone marker for when the future went from being a exciting colorful adventure to a grimly bleak eventuality.
Rani Baker Digs You. 
Ive seen a couple of these pop-up on my search for the compound I have in my mind. They would NOT take much to restote, if I had ppl willing to help out.
When I say compound, I want an almost-selfsustaining homeztead, but not a la hippy back to the land crap. I visualize traditional Japanese homes, oddly enough. I mean here, small structures built around an internal garden. They are completely seperate living units, connected by walk-ways. The Spaniards , OKINAWANS, Malaysians, Laotians, all used this method for better airflow.Uet, of course, the styles were all integrated. To have pribacy , in each unit, w a central mtg place. Outside the walls of the HOME, would be my gardening , goats, chickens,etc. That is MY interest, but at the end ovrt everybody’s seperate days, we could kick-back & share what we are all excited ant. Ive though of this for YEARS, a wondeerful space for tehies, artists,
Anything anyone wants to do, & to live in an affordable communiity in ehich to do it. It’s just my gig I love gardening, feeding ppl,& healing through the methods my Oki grandma passed down. I have the GI LOAN for the space. I eant to start this w ppl whom I alreaxy love, though we dont have to ne up in each other’s spaves 24/8.
Rani, as Futoros seem to appeal to A LOT OF ppl(& tecnically, wre are too youn to be GEN C, too old to be other thing. There habe bern several LOST GENERATIONS,$ I had to say fuck it, I dont git in ANY of these boces. I have friends who are GEN X, ALL SMUG, & I guess whate ever. Ive ALWAYS neen too young, or too old
Anyways, when we were ACTIVELY DISCUSDING THIS (Ko
Gen X, I meant. Ok, technically we ARE the right age accotdimg to social anthropologistz. I dont care, I vd been repeatedly told I.am too youmg as I didnt expetience x,y,z , purple ad I.fitum.
I KNOW I CAN BUILD A FUTORO. PERFFECT PROJECT FOR A TINY HOME.
I want a community of non-hippy-dippy ppl wantimg to create a communith of theit chosing. From artists, carpenters, techies(very much.needed,and K& I hsve talked ant it for years. He knows ppl I have no idea how they do what they do,& for myself, I know I can feed a smallish community 70% of their veggies. It’s my dream I want to build hella cool homes & living spacez
Depite the, I just woke uop not too ong ago rambling, what Im saying here is, WE COULD BUILD YOU YOUR FUTURO! It wouldnt be impossIble, nor take long. If YOU WANT IT!
Reblogged this on Quantum Multiverse and commented:
I have always been interested in Retro Futuristic design. Specifically from the early 60’s to the early 80’s. I have come up with a floor plan like this one and, coupled with a few modifications and green energy option, my wife (+ pets) and I could easily live comfortably in one of these 🙂