WILLINGBORO, NJ – Futuro houses were all the rave in the early 1970s. The Futuro house, also known as the Futuro pod, was designed by Finnish Architect Matti Suuronen. Less than 100 were built in the 1960s and 1970s. Popular Futuro houses were found at the Jersey Shore, including one that moved around between Toms River and Seaside Heights and another in Wildwood. There was even one in Lakewood, which some suspect is the same one now in Willingboro.
Originally designed to be a ski cabin, the houses soon became novelties for creative marketing campaigns.
Of the 100 made, fewer than 60 remain, and one remains in New Jersey. It’s located in Mills Creek Park in Willingboro. It’s boarded up and hasn’t been used in years. It used to be the home of the local Police Athletic League.
The Willingboro Futuro has, unfortunately, seen better days. It was initially located inside the Village Mall parking lot and served as a branch of the City Federal Savings bank before bouncing around. It landed in the park sometime in the 1990s, according to locals.
The Wildwood Futuro house was sold in 2003 for $1500 and sits in Greenwich. It was used as a bait and tackle shop but is now completely dilapidated and deteriorated.
Created / Published 1978. Library of Congress.
We’re not sure what happened to the Seaside Heights Futuro House. It moved from its original location on Route 37 in Toms River to the Seaside Heights Boardwalk in the 70s. In the 80s, it was the visitor center near the entrance to the seaside resort. It went from silver to red, white and blue. Then one day, it was gone. It is believed to have been demolished and scrapped.