Final Call

Is it a plane? Is it a submarine? Is it a spaceship? No, this elliptical pod with porthole windows and an eye-catching fibreglass shell is in fact an accommodation cabin, where guests can spend the night inside an iconic piece of avant-garde architecture. Nestled in the wilds of Marston Park in Somerset, Futuro House was originally designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen back in 1968. It builds on the traditions of Nordic summer camps, with a modular construction that makes for easy transportation to remote locations, and a robust form able to withstand harsh winters.

Entered via a spaceship-like hatch, the cabin features a flexible living space – complete with kitchenette and two curtained-off sleeping areas – decorated to honour the 1960s obsession with all things Space Age. The fluid shapes and sleek forms of the furniture and lighting are accompanied by bursts of colour, as seen in the reclining chairs upholstered in vibrant mustard.

Despite the popularity of Futuro House, fewer than 100 were actually produced and now only a handful remain. This model was rescued from ruin by artist Craig Barnes, who transported it from South Africa to the UK, where he has spent the last decade restoring it to its original glory. “The Futuro encapsulates the zeitgeist of late Sixties design, architecture, interiors, culture and lifestyle in one object,” he explains. “It was a beacon of belief in there being better ways to be, at a time when optimism was in more plentiful supply. Now more than ever, we need talismanic artefacts to teach us not just of the failings of the past, but to imbue us with a sense of possibility for the future.”

© Chris Wakefield

DECORATIVE TOUCHLESS SWITCHING by CHELSOM CONTACT SALES@CHELSOM.CO.UK