Thursday, December 29, 2011

Two From 1960

Check out this first photo, a beautiful view of the Monsanto House of the Future! It looks so great with the blue sky, lush plants, and even the warm reflections from the pond. I wonder how many people walked through that attraction and thought, "You know, I could see myself living in one of these!"? But it was not to be. (Frowny face)


From a different lot, but also from 1960, comes this view of a sleepy lagoon that just happens to be home to a fleet of nuclear submarines. Are they atomic? Yes, VERY atomic! I keep staring at this picture waiting for something to happen.

8 comments:

Chiana_Chat said...

Okay but:

- Does my Home of the Future come with unlimited use of a neighboring replica of The Matterhorn Bobsleds?

- Does my Home of the Future come with a 1960 hifi stereo and can I keep it?

- Can I withdraw any contribution to the Monsanto Corporation when it starts to become insidious?

- Is the toilet also... ATOMIC?

- Why do I have a sudden urge to swim through bubbles and under waterfalls? Is it because I am gray? Or because I've been watching the 2nd pic too long...

Perfect couple in the pic too, with her red and white dress and all. I notice a lot of spraying water. Fountains in the pond or just the sprinklers for the plants? And maybe they shoulda gone with bold retractable window shade panels or blinds insteada those Curtains of the Past.

Chiana_Chat said...

^ to Q #5, nevermind, as I just remembered: "you are what you eat," and I ate SubWay...

Anonymous said...

So you think maybe I wouldn't notice the reference to 5000 Fingers, huh? - Glen Banks

Thufer said...

:: snickering and spilling my coffee ::

That second picture is a perfect of the calm in the eye of the storm. I am willing to wager a view in any other direction would be full of happy quest and wondrous sights of tomorrow's promised transportation.

An 'atomic' HEAD in the Navy. Ha
Oh, almost forgot...isn't gray a beautiful color?

JG said...

LOL, my friends, a classic post and comments.

The House of the Future is a perfect picture of that odd architectural icon known as "The Machine In The Garden".

For some reason, at this time in history, architects were infatuated with the idea of a house as a "Machine For Living". Combining this with the traditional view of the manor house set in expansive gardens and lawns, the phrase had a distinct currency in the profession during thelate '50's and early '60's.

Most actual (non-architect) people soundly rejected the notion, opting for traditional "Beaver Cleaver", Spanish, Tudor and the ever-popular (in LA) Spanish-Tudor, also known as "Spudor".

Now, the idea of a factory-built "machine" is relegated to the mobile home park, while construction efficiency is mired in millenia-old practices. Can you believe we still build out of masonry? Brick? The MESOPOTAMIANS did that, cripes. Time to evolve folks. I'm moving into a shipping container, just to spite them.

Oh, and the submarine lagoon is wonderful.

I love submarine sandwiches (in any color but gray), but the problem with the sandwich is it keeps surfacing.

JG

Connie Moreno said...

Truly gorgeous pics today. The more I look at that HOF, the more I want IN!!

Major Pepperidge said...

Chiana, your Home of the Future comes with a 4 foot tall papier-mache Matterhorn, to be placed strategically outside one window. The stereo is not only from 1960, but comes with a complete collection of record albums in mint condition. The only part of the toilet that is atomic is the seat warmer! Isn't it odd that we all have "warm fuzzy" associations with Monsanto all these years later, even though they have turned out to be a pretty nasty company?

Glen, I knew somebody would get it!

Thufer, gray IS a beautiful color! I was recently looking at a book of vintage Disney animation art, and the subtle use of soft grays was impressive, and made the more saturated color areas that much more impactful.

JG, I have never heard the term "The Machine In The Garden" before... interesting. I admit that when I fantasize about my "dream house", I can never decide if I would want it to be ultra-modern and streamlined (maybe "modern" in the 1960's sense), or something more traditional, like the "Spudor" that you mentioned (which I really do like!). People don't like change, and even fewer are willing to invest in the construction of something unorthodox (except for the very rich). Also, I've seen some shipping container homes that are pretty amazing! If only that idea would really take off.

Connie, I'm with you!

Nancy said...

The House of The Future sooo belongs in FUTURE World at EPCOT Center! they should have included one, no doubt of that!

how cool would it have been to see communities built of rows of these little houses? I would have loved to see what an office building or factory may have looked liked based on this design....it would have been neato!