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.
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house → resemble → 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.
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property → accord → Age
Built in 1969, the 793-square-foot structure stands out for its bright exterior, circular form and distinctive raised design.
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structure → build → exterior
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.
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that → make → 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.
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houses → design → materials
A rare survivor of space-age architecture
The Donaldson Futuro is one of roughly 50 to 60 examples believed to remain from the original production of about 100 structures worldwide.
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Futuro → believe → structures
Its unusual design has helped it stand apart from conventional residential architecture, while its historical significance has earned it a place on the National Register of Historic Places and recognition as a California historical landmark.
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significance → help → landmark
Originally located in San Diego, it was rescued after years of neglect and eventually transported to the Idyllwild area in 2004.
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it → locate → 2004
Despite the original concept of helicopter-assisted mobility, the relocation required a carefully planned journey by flatbed truck through mountain roads, with the route presenting challenges because of the structure’s size and the limited clearance in some stretches.
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route → assist → stretches
The preservation effort behind the home
The property was saved and restored by preservation architect Milford Wayne Donaldson, who had been fascinated by space and futuristic design since childhood.
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who → save → childhood
He took on the project after learning that the neglected structure faced an uncertain future, seeing value in preserving an unusual example of mid-century architectural experimentation.
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structure → take → experimentation
Donaldson and his wife, Laurie, later restored the home while retaining its distinctive character.
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Donaldson → restore → character
The interior reflects a 1960s aesthetic, with colourful finishes, laminate surfaces and shag carpeting.
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interior → reflect → finishes
Original design elements, including built-in furniture and Formica laminate countertops, were preserved as part of the restoration, according to architectural preservation organisation Docomomo US.
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elements → include → US
The project also involved navigating modern building and safety requirements while adapting them to the structure’s unconventional construction.
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project → involve → construction
The restoration received recognition from the California Preservation Foundation, while the home’s historic designation further established its importance beyond its novelty as a UFO-shaped residence.
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designation → receive → residence
It is also noted as the first Futuro house in California approved for residential occupancy.
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It → note → occupancy
A new chapter for the Donaldson Futuro
Donaldson and his wife have continued to spend time at the property despite living near Sacramento.
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Donaldson → continue → Sacramento
However, the architect’s declining health has prompted the decision to put the home on the market.
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health → decline → market
The hope is that its next owner will appreciate its architectural and historical value and preserve the work that went into restoring it.
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that → appreciate → it
Listed at $1.495 million, the property is more than an unusual home for sale.
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property → list → sale
It represents a period when architects and designers imagined that houses could break free from traditional forms and embrace the possibilities of modern materials and technology.
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houses → represent → materials
For its next owner, the Donaldson Futuro offers the chance to take on a rare piece of that vision, one that has survived decades of changing tastes and a challenging journey to its present mountain location.
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that → offer → location
The Aporia
