| Pensacola Beach situated on the Gulf of | | | | There is even a Futuro house right next |
| Mexico coast in Florida features some of | | | | to a highway in Estonia being passed off |
| the State's more wacky attractions, such | | | | as Santa Claus's Flying Saucer! |
| as outrageous advertising billboards and | | | | Sales literature in the late 1960s |
| the Ice House, but one of its most | | | | described the Futuro as "representing |
| oft-visited curiosities is the | | | | the modern, comfortable way of housing |
| privately-owned 'UFO' house, located at | | | | incorporating practical coziness," and |
| 1304 Panferio Drive, Pensacola Beach. | | | | confidently predicted that: "the Futuro |
| Perched atop a one-story building, the | | | | is the dwelling of the future." However, |
| saucer-shaped home looks like it has | | | | despite their optimism, sales of the |
| just landed on some unsuspecting | | | | Futuro - please excuse the pun - never |
| earthman's roof. Complete with a | | | | 'took off,' so following the initial run |
| futuristic ramp leading to the saucer's | | | | of 20, production ceased entirely. The |
| drop-down door and model aliens staring | | | | house was criticised for lacking storage |
| out of the port-hole windows, the house | | | | space, and considered too pricy and too |
| has become one of the hottest unofficial | | | | small for normal families. The fact that |
| Pensacola Beach tourist attractions. | | | | it was built out of plastic certainly |
| Made entirely from fibreglass-reinforced | | | | didn't help sales either as potential |
| polyester plastic, the white UFO house | | | | buyers in the 1960s thought it wouldn't |
| has proved very resilient, still | | | | stand the test of time. But, as can be |
| standing 35 years after construction and | | | | seen from the magnificent example at |
| following a battering from several | | | | Pensacola Beach, they were wrong! |
| hurricanes. | | | | As a curiosity, the UFO house at |
| Although known as the 'UFO house', it is | | | | Pensacola is well worth a visit if you |
| actually one of only 20 Futuro houses | | | | are in that part of Florida. And if you |
| ever built and designed by Finnish pop | | | | plan to stay overnight during your visit |
| architect Matti Suuronen in 1968. | | | | remember that hotels in Pensacola can be |
| Originally intended as a futuristic ski | | | | expensive at the height of the season, |
| cabin for a friend of the Finn, the | | | | so try to go when it's less busy. After |
| Futuro house proved so versatile that | | | | all, the UFO house will still be there - |
| the other 19 were commissioned for a | | | | it's not flying anywhere! Adam Singleton |
| variety of purposes, such as: observer | | | | is an online, freelance journalist and |
| stations for the Swedish Air Force, a | | | | keen amateur photographer from Scotland. |
| youth club in Stuttgart, an office for a | | | | His interests include travelling and |
| Yorkshire plastics factory in England | | | | hiking. |
| and homes throughout the United States. | | | | |