Matti Suuronen Case Study
The Futuro House by Matti Suuronen is an iconic design of modern/futuristic modular architecture. Arguably the house is at the forefront of retro-futurism, a movement that was established within architecture during the mid 60s. This would likely be due to its quirky, ‘UFOesque’ shape. Suuronen wanted the house’s design to reflect Finland’s post-war technological progression and ‘boldness in exploration’. The idea behind the assembly detailing of the futuro house was for it to be a convenient family living space that can be easily built and universally transportable - almost as if it were a sci fi UFO lander from another planet.
The main materials used for the construction of the house were fibreglass and reinforced polyester plastic. Mainly because Suuronen had already been familiar with utilizing these material elements when designing a large plastic roof dome for a grain silo project in Seinäjoki. For construction efficiency, the house consisted of 16 modular elements that were bolted together to form the floor and the roof. The house could easily be constructed onsite, even dismantled and then reassembled again onsite all together in just under two days time. What Suuronen ideally wanted was for the house to be prefabricated and then airlifted by helicopter in one whole piece to the site. The only reason why it was preferred for the construction to be dealt with onsite was due to the necessity of being able to apply the foundation to the house, which continued through the 4 concrete legs of the house that rest on the ground. By doing this procedure this meant the house could occupy nearly any topography. The electric heating within the house worked very efficiently, due to the integrated polyurethane insulation the house could be heated to an optimal temperature within just 30 minutes.
In relation to my Flood Response House design project I can definitely apply this style of prefabricated modular assembly to the way I assemble the 3D physical construction model. Suuronen purposely designed The Futuro House to be an ideal form of modular living that works best in the cold climate regions of Finland due to heat insulation being an important priority in the materiality choice and design of the house. For my building’s design I prioritize air pressurization and the prevention of moisture and water breaches. Therefore I presume both designs are not so dissimilar in purpose. Although my building is working with a much more robust material for its exterior paneling, the process of prefabricating styrofoam and plastic into modules and assembling them onsite can be applied to titanium alloy.
Below is a documented information sheet that lists all the specific materials and modular elements required for the construction of a Futuro House.
Source: http://www.futurohouse.com/futurohousecanadadoc.pdf