1.23.2013

Early Prefab: The Venturo House

Although more well-known for his earlier design of the Futuro House, In 1971,  Finnish architect Matti Suuronen designed the awesome mod pod that is the Venturo CF-45The 45 square-meter design was marketed for a number of purposes, including recreational. 
 The Venturo was extolled as "maintenance free" because it's exterior materials were fiberglass, anodized aluminum and glass. The low-weight, pre-fabricated module allowed for installation without much interference to the surrounding landscape, because heavy earthmoving equipment was not required.


 Despite is't great mod design and small-house luxury features (anyone care for a steam?), only 19 Venturo homes were sold, and production was quickly shut-down.
But wait - what about this large collection of Futuros and Venturos, located on the northern coast of Taiwan?
Mystery surrounds the later Taiwanese Venturos, which are located in a mostly-deserted Taiwanese resort park that is thought to have been built around 1979. Who was manufacturing the later Venturo homes? A couple of the homes have residents, and have been maintained. 

Sadly, most of them look like this.



A random Venturo sighting, this one was located on the highway between Kyoto and Osaka. The home was reportedly removed by the landowner in 2008, it's current location is unknown (sadly, I suspect it no longer exists).
This restored Venturo is now a cafeteria/information center at the Kivik Art Centre in Sweden.



Sources: treehugger, judit bellostes, s_p_o_c, akaaokiiro, wanli






3 comments:

sporkgasm said...

Oh.My.Goodness!

How had I never heard of these? I want one. I also want the body of the lady in the short shorts in the ad. It's not unfair to ask that both be given to me immediately by the mod fairy is it? I didn't think so. :)

Dumbwit Tellher said...

Hello Marsi!! Boy you know how to make my heart skip a few beats. I would LOVE to own a Venturo. I have never seen these and what a thrill to read about them. Makes me sad though to see them fall to pieces as they are truly something spectacular. I would like one propped someone in San Diego with a view of the beach (dream on) or tucked away in a hillside.

Happy New Year to you. I hope your holidays were good? I have the day off of work and had to stop by to say hello. Wishing you well my friend xxx

Unknown said...

Hi! These are awesome prefab houses. I would love to live in these houses.
Prefab houses can be so stylish I never didn't know before that.
Prefab House