Futuristic prefab homes of the ’60s spotlighted in new exhibit

While prefab abodes and tiny homes are on a trendy upswing, a new exhibition in France shows how the concepts are far from new. On display at the Friche de l’Escalette sculpture and architecture park in Marseille, France, Plastic Utopia features three iconic prefab micro-dwellings from the 1960s, fully outfitted with plastic furniture from designers like Maurice Calka, Quasar Khanh, and Wendell Castle.

The three sci-fi-inspired homes are popular examples of ‘60s retro-futurism. The flying saucer-shaped Futuro House was initially conceived by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen as a transportable skiing retreat, and cost just $14,000. More than 60 of the homes are scattered around the globe from L.A. to Antarctica.

The bulbous Maison Bulle à Six Coques—which translates to "Six-Shell Bubble House"—was created by French designer Jean-Benjamin Maneval out of reinforced polyester insulated with polyurethane foam in white, brown, and green. Plastic Utopia has two of these models and will be fully renovating one of them on-site for exhibition visitors to view.

The Hexacube was designed by architect Georges Candilis—a protege of Le Corbusier—as a modular structure for a beach resort, inspired by visions of colonizing distant planets.

The exhibition will be on view by-appointment through October 1, 2017.

Via: Designboom