Ufo-Style Futuro Home Listed: Rare space-age house hits market; $1.495m price reflects preservation

A house resembling a flying saucer has been listed for $1.495 million in California’s San Jacinto Mountains, offering a rare opportunity to own a piece of experimental architectural history. According to SFGATE and The Wall Street Journal, the property, known as the Donaldson Futuro, is located near Idyllwild and is among a small number of surviving homes designed to capture the optimism and futuristic imagination of the Space Age.Built in 1969, the 793-square-foot structure stands out for its bright exterior, circular form and distinctive raised design. Made from reinforced fiberglass-polyester plastic, the home weighs approximately 11,900 pounds and was conceived as a prefabricated dwelling that could be transported to different locations, even by helicopter. Designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen, the Futuro houses were an unconventional response to the era’s interest in new materials, mobility and futuristic living.A rare survivor of space-age architectureThe Donaldson Futuro is one of roughly 50 to 60 examples believed to remain from the original production of about 100 structures worldwide. Its unusual design has helped it stand apart from conventional residential archi...