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AS OF 102913 THE FUTURO HOUSE PROJECT HAS ITS OWN DOMAIN AND ALL UPDATES ARE NOW FOUND ON THEFUTUROHOUSE.COM

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 UPDATED 111512 | ADDED 080512 | PÖYTYÄ, FINLAND | RETURN TO THE MAIN FUTURO HOUSE ARTICLE | RETURN HOME

Kaitoomäentie 199 21870 Pöytyä, Finland | 60°45'1.23"N 22°27'45.90"E

Featured Image Courtesy Of Marko Home | Image Date Unknown

 
Google Maps | Satellite Imagery 060311

Futuro, Poytya, Finland  
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Additional Images

The featured image above is copyright [and displayed here with permission] Marko Home editor of the definitive Futuro Book "Futuro - Tomorrow's House From Yesterday" and producer of the WeeGee Futuro Exhibition in Espoo.

The next two images are courtesy of the blog Enkelipuisto and can be found in posts here and here respectively.

Futuro, Poytya, Finland - Alt 1

Futuro, Poytya, Finland - Alt 2

This next image is by JH and appeared on this webpage/blog [Page in Finnish | Google Translate English here]. The group of people appearing in the photo includes Kyösti Iitti; the gentleman in the red hat [based on working with Google Translate, hopefully this is correct].

Futuro, Poytya, Finland - Alt 3

This last image is from a brochure I found here [PDF file in Finnish]. To be honest I have no idea if it is copyrighted or where it came fom so if this is your image and you would like it removed please let me know.

Futuro, Poytya, Finland - Alt 4
 
Notes, History & Resources

Update 111512

An article that referenced the Luumäki Futuro [and therefore indirectly this Futuro since it is likely the Luumäki Futuro is now the one at Pöytyä] was published in a local Luumäki newspaper just last week [110812]. Otto Myyrä was kind enough to send me a scan [see below - click the image for a pdf]. Of course I cannot read the article [once I get hold of a translation I will post it here] but Otto tells me that while much of the article reflects the Joroisten Lehti article referenced below it does also add a little new information.

Specifically this article tells us that the Futuro was originally purchased directly from Polykem Oy in Strömfors [aka Ruotsinpyhtää] by Lauri and Taimi Huomo in the spring of 1970. The Futuro was shipped to Luumäki and then installed on site by Polykem personnel. The grand opening of the "UFO Bar" was 040270. In 1971 the Futuro was sold to a family called Stendahl in Joroinen; the Stendahl's however caught a case of "buyer's remorse" and the Futuro was quickly sold on to Marja and Raimo Mähönen. From this point on both articles relate the same history. Another small piece of the puzzle; thanks Otto.

Luumaki Journal - 110812



Update 102712

While researching the history of the Kauhava Futuro I came across an article on the website Joroisten Lehti. The article was in Finnish and while Google Translate gave it a go the translation was really not easy to understand. Thanks to Achim Breiling and an uncle who lives in Finland I was able to get a much more accurate translation of the article.

Accompanying the article was the photo shown below courtesy of Joroisten Lehti. What is significant about the photo is the windows; you will notice a row of three lower windows and not the typical two pairs seen on the majority of European Futuros. This is significant in that the only other Futuro having this configuration is the one at Pöytyä.

Futuro, Luumaki - Joroinen

Based on the improved translation and the evidence of the photo I believe we can piece together a pretty good idea of the history of this Futuro; the only other Futuro I know of with a row of three lower windows.

The article tells us that Marja and Raimo Mähönen had purchased the Futuro from a neighbor who in turn had acquired the Luumäki Futuro [see photo below]. Shortly after purchasing the Futuro the neighbor began to regret it and she offered the Futuro to Raimo who thought about it for a short while and then agreed. Raimo said it was expensive but that he immediately gained 40 additional seats for the coffee bar attached to the fuel station and that ultimately it turned out to be a worthwhile investment.

Futuro, Luumaki - Marko Home Book Page 38
This is a low quality photo from my copy of "Futuro - Tomorrow's House From Yesterday". My intention is to illustrate the Luumäki Futuro not to provide a copyright infringing image to be copied and reproduced elsewhere so please respect the author's rights and if you would like to use the book's content purchase your own copy. Thanks!

The Futuro was at the Union service station in Joroinen from 1971 until 1978; it was then used as a Sales Office by a pottery company, Kyyrälön Savi, for two summers before being purchased by a man who moved the Futuro to Järvenpää, were it served as the information office for a car shop.

The article does not take the history any further but there is some other evidence to help us. Kyösti Iitti purchased the Pöytyä Futuro from a company selling used cars in Pori in the early 90s. Now Pori is some 200 kilometers or so from Järvenpää but the Futuro was used by a car related business both in Pori and in Järvenpää; perhaps the company had more than one location. Alternatively the Futuro could have been sold and moved sometime during the 80's or early 90's. It does seem likely though that the Futuro originally from Luumäki is now the one at Pöytyä given the unique window configuration not seen on any other Futuros.

So, while I cannot be certain, based on the evidence it seems likely that the Futuro with the three lower windows started out in Luumäki and was then purchased by a lady in Joroinen. Shortly afterwards the Futuro was purchased by Marja and Raimo Mähönen and it served as a coffee bar at their service station in Joroinen from 1971 through 1978. The Futuro then served two years as a Sales Office for a pottery before being sold again and moved to Järvenpää where it served as information office for a car shop. Sometime between this sale and the early 90's the Futuro was relocated [perhaps sold and relocated or perhaps just moved to another location belonging to the same car company] to Pori. Finally in the early 90's Kyösti Iitti purchased the Futuro and moved it to its current location in Pöytyä.

Joroisten Lehti article translation | Thanks to Achim Breiling and his uncle.

Headline of the add: Fuel service all around the clock (which means 24 hours open)

Text below the photo in the add: Raimo Mähönen once filling station attendant, now autonomous entrepreneur has completely renovated his filling station. In the new coffee bar there are 58 seats, the sales room has been enlarged and the garage expanded. Filling pumps and bar work now as self service. "Here one should get along fine now" says Raimo. The eye-catching Futuro plastic house was used as coffee bar before the renovation.

Headline of the main text: Many still remember the Ufo-Cafe

Text: The Futuro plastic house (better known as UFO house) was used as coffee bar extension to the Union fuel station of Raimo and Marja Mähönen and was obtained from one of their neighbors (the daughter of the Stendahls). "She had bought the Futuro house of Luumäki, but afterwards she began to regret it and offered it to me. I promised to think it over for a night, then I bought it. It was expensive, but it was a good investment. We gained immediately 40 additional seats at the fuel station", remembers Raimo Mähönen. The Futuro was in Joroinen at the Street No. 5 from 1971-1978. Then it served for 2 summers as sales room for the company Kyyrälön Savi (pottery). Many people were interested in the UFO, but few wanted to buy it. "One day a man came in and asked for the price of the Futuro. He made an offer and got the money from the bank. He brought the Futuro to Järvenpää, were it served as information office for a car shop. As the Futuro is made of single components, it was easy to move." (says Mähönen) Due to the bad situation on the plastics world market, the production of the houses was finally stopped.



Update 082112

Thanks to some detective work by Timo Partanen the Pöytyä Futuro has been located at 60°45'1.23"N 22°27'45.90"E. The satellite imagery is not perfect but if you compare the placement of buildings visible in Google Maps with those visible in some of the photos it is clear that this is indeed the correct location. Also if you load up Google Earth and zoom right in while the imagery does become blurred you can actually just make out the pylon located on top of the Futuro.



Original Information 080512

Two of the most detailed references for Finnish Futuro's are:

  • Anna-Maija Kuitunen's thesis about the [then] current condition of Futuro 001 and the process that might be used to restore and preserve it as an iconic piece of Finnish architecture. The thesis "Futuro no. 001 : Documentation and evaluation of preservation need" was written by Kuitunen as her final thesis for the Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. This thesis is freely available online here
  • .
  • The definitive Futuro Book "Futuro - Tomorrow's House From Yesterday" edited by Marko Home who is also the producer of the WeeGee Futuro Exhibtion in Espoo.

Both of these sources listed four surviving Futuro's in Finland:


In May 2012 a fifth Futuro was located in Finland and it is entirely appropriate that it was Marko Home who told me about it. He also sent me the featured photo top left and kindly allowed me to use the photo here on this page. The photo was originally posted by Marko to the WeeGee Futuro Facebook Page which can be found here.

The Futuro is located in Pöytyä, Finland. To date I have not been able to ascertain the precise location of the Futuro; satellite imagery for the area varies in quality in both Google Maps/Earth and Bing Maps and Wikipedia states that the municipality of Pöytyä covers just a little under 300 square miles so searching it out could take a while.

I, and Google Translate, have been having a tussle with translating Finnish to English so much so that at times I am not even sure that when I am looking for example for a name that I am actually ending up with a name. That being said as best I can determine the Futuro is owned by one Kyösti Iitti [Page in Finnish | Google Translate English here].

Kyösti Iitti is a Finnish Folk Artist and masseuse who exhibits his [wonderful in my opinion] work at Enkelipuisto, which I believe translates to Angel Park, somewhere around Pöytyä. There is also a blog entitled Enkelipuisto which features some marvelous photographs of the park and Kosti's work; those photos include two that show the Futuro [see left].

I recommend you take a look at the blog; I for one am very impressed by Kyösti Iitti's work and I think you will be too. For sure if I am ever close enough [which is to be honest doubtful] I will visit.

The most interesting feature of this Futuro is that it is raised above the ground; a staircase can be seen in the photos which allows access to the top of the Futuro where I assume you can get some great views of the park and the surrounding area. One of the photos at left is taken from the top of the Futuro. I am not sure if visitors to the park have this access; if they do hopefully the roof of the Futuro is protected and/or strengthened in some way as it was clearly not designed or manufactured for that purpose.

There is also what appears to be some kind of a sculpture on top of the Futuro and a large communication antenna.

There are several references/records [a couple of which are listed below] that can be found to groups visiting Enkelipuisto/Angel Park, listing of times it is open to the public and so one but interestingly there is not any address or directions that I can find so if I were visiting Finland and wanted to visit Enkelipuisto/Angel Park I would have no idea where to go without calling to ask.

  • What appears to be a flyer/brochure for a planned outing to Enkelipuisto/Angel Park can be found here [PDF file in Finnish]. The file contains one image of the Futuro from the ground [or possibly part way up the staircase] looking up the staircase to the Futuro. This gives a unique perspective of the Futuro as it is the only one currently raised above ground level in this way that I am aware of.
  • What I think is a webpage/blog [Page in Finnish | Google Translate English here] by a member of a group called W46 which appears to document outings the group takes. The group visited Enkelipuisto/Angel Park on 052312. To the left is a photo by JH taken that day which shows not only the Futuro but also the Folk Artist Kyösti Iitti.
  • What appears to be some kind of local magazine [PDF file in Finnish] that has a small section on Enkelipuisto/Angel Park; however once again as far as I can tell from using Google Translate this is listing times people can visit and events but does not include a location.

Sources & Reference:
About The Images & Commentary On This Page

I have struggled with translation in research for this page.

I have tried to honor copyright and obtain permission where I believed it was necessary to display the images shown here. If you own an image shown here and would like either the means of attribution to be changed or for the image to be removed please let me know.

If I have got material facts incorrect or there are facts missing due to my translation issues please let me know so I can make appropriate corrections.

Got new, updated or corrected information or an image I could use?

I am always looking for additional information, history, details, images, videos; just about anything Futuro I guess - if you would like to contribute please use the Futuro Contact Form at the bottom of the main article or email me.

As far as images go I am particularly interested in those that are either significantly better than the ones already on this page or show a different aspect or detail. If you own an image meeting one or both of those criteria I would love to be able to use it on this page but I will simply provide a link if that is your preference. Where permission is granted to use an image on the page appropriate attribution will be provided by means of a link to the original image, a link to a website of your choosing or both.