One theme which distilled the collective imagination of the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s was that of the UFO. In an era when it seemed as if technology could make just about anything possible, architects and designers were planning and building homes that where exclaimed to be “Out of This World”. And justifiably so, as the following snapshots will attest.
The ‘Mushroom House’ as known to those who frequent the Black’s Beach area of La Jolla, California, suggests a habitat made for extraterrestrial tourists. Its form is simultaneously futuristic and practical. Built during the summers of 1966-68, this was Architect Dale Nagle’s vision for potato chip baron Sam Bell.
“The Pavilion” as Mr. Nagle refers to it, was an eloquent solution to the challenges of constructing a seaside home at the base of a cliff. The dwelling is constructed of two, circular ribbed concrete slabs, one for the floor and the other for roof. Enclosing it are floor-to-ceiling panels of glass, sealable with blinds. This is perched atop a 25’ high masonry stem. The configuration resists natural forces such as quake, landslide, and storm. Man-made forces, such as intruders are resisted by the access system to the house - which is an electric entry drawbridge, and the dramatic tramway which scales the cliff face.
|  The large building at the right top of the plateau is the Fisheries Science Center Building at the Scripps Oceanography Institute. |  The seaside pavillion (the circular object at the shoreline) is linked to the upper house by the tramway. |
 The Sam Bell Beach House circa 1969 |  Dress in your best cotton turtleneck and corduroy jeans and join the party. This early interior photo captures a moment from ‘The Good Life’ as lived in the Bell House. Pacific Ocean view is the backdrop for barbeque. Suspended grill hood, Sarinaan dining furniture, undulating ceiling add to MCM atmosphere. |  The current owner has renovated the Mushroom without radically altering the original character. The seawall has been added to the pavilion and the upper house rebuilt. |
Several decades have passed since production of the lovely Futuro House ceased. But affection and interest have not. Paradoxically, this incredible low-volume prefab continues to light the imaginations of generations past and present. Finn Architect Matti Suuronen’s 1968 design has withstood the tests of time, with an estimated 60 of the original number of about 100 surviving. Websites, a DVD movie, exhibitions, TV, newpaper/magazine articles, and sales of memorabilia and existing models have perpetuated its fame.
1967. For a generation that was dashing into space and beyond, the Richard T. Foster Carousel House was the proverbial saucer landing in the woods. Unlike any other circular home of the time, this ingeniously designed abode was engineered to rotate 360 degrees at the push of a button. Hovering one story above ground on a concrete entry pedestal, the home commands a cinemascopic view of its four acre landing pad site in Wilton, Connecticut.
The 3,800 square foot plan reveals a comfortable arrangement of 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, den, dining, kitchen and living room – all with glass exposure and ringed by the wraparound deck. An unusual snail-shaped shower (highlighted blue) eliminates the need for a privacy curtain. Entry to the home is via the large fixed circular stair. The framing of the house is suspended from a central truss which equalizes and transfers the load to the core.
Not the typical suburban site, this Jetsonistic cliffside offers the amenities any alien would desire on Terra Mater.
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One of hundreds of exquisite models built for the General Motors Exhibit at the '64 NY World's Fair, this premonition embraces the era's techno fantasies. The surrealistic landscape (possibly a neighborhood of Area 51), suggests a remote desert/mountain site, conveniently reached by the auto transportation tube spanning the canyon. The driveway, which one would imagine is a multi-level honeycomb of tunnel and road, terminates into a handy turntable. Above it is the glassed-in garage & service center, also with turntable.
Structurally, this home's cantilever would make Frank Loyd Wright think twice. The main living theater and bedroom areas,which also carry the garage loads, hang from the sheer cliff. Crowning the folded-plate roof is perhaps an observatory or greenhouse.
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After a day of some serious spelunking and rock climbing, unwind in the circular pool (center), dine on the terrace (left of the kitchen), and walk through the garden (foreground).
This photo is of the kitchen, the stairbridge to the pool, and the lower level utility core. In keeping with the times, we could surmise that the pink hexagonally-faced core housed an atomic reactor to electrify, supply heat, and warm the pool. Another function would be to reinforce the rock foundation and support the cantilevers. The open-air kitchen can be closed by movable walls; note the hanging video screen.
FINI.
 The compact, 500 square foot egg soon spawned a larger version suitable for commercial applications. Manufactured by the Finn company Polykem AB Ltd., the Venturo in 100/200 square meter editions was used for service stations. |  |  |
 From the fertile mind of Suuronen, this conceptual sketch hints of what’s to come. |  |  Architect Foster, who often partnered with Philip Johnson, creatively solved utility connections to the pedestal by adapting off-the-shelf solutions. Although rotating structures such as lounges and restaurants had been built before, his design was the first to independently tie mechanical services on the rotating floor to the stationary core. A simple 11/2 horsepower electric motor turns the 72’ diameter, 250 ton structure in a leisurely 48 minutes. |
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1. Written by cole on 04-03-2008 14:47
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This is great, John! What an exciting time this was for everyone. The optimism of Futurama must have brought on tremendous expectations for the American public. It's amazing with as much potential as was exhibited during this era that we have strayed so far from the ideas of the time. The automobile certainly took hold but it is unfortunate the architecture did not reach critical mass with the public. It seems the ideas were embraced by many. Where did we go wrong?
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2. Written by gdylanc on 07-03-2008 17:24
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It's hard to say if we went wrong, but it's great seeing the futuristic relics that were supposed to foretell upcoming trends intermingled with the current cityscape as it was actually built. The Monorail and Space Needle are awesome examples of architectural anachronisms that have come to define Seattle, but we've also got our share of vintage domed Safeway grocery stores with Googie style facade. As much as I do enjoy seeing these testaments to another time, it seems naive for architects to consider a form of architecture that is inherently inefficient to be the future.
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