History of Interior Design-Pilar Uribe Donatiu-Home of the Future

In this era, the importance of creating futuristic designs became the most important thing. In 1955 the concept of “Home of the Future” (by Alison & Peter Smithson 1955-1956) was created due to the need of breaking with the idea of the traditional house. They tried to make modular houses that could be easily put into communities and several prototypes were made.

New materials and new concepts were introduced. They were taking into account new concepts like new ventilation systems, the right to have a private interior garden included in your house and even the concept of sustainability when constructing new houses, for example a system that could collect water from the rain for personal use. Rooftop made of aluminium foil to reflect the sunlight, the shell made of moulded plastic-impregnated plaster. Almost everything in the house was made of plastic, including translucent walls and chairs. The electric power was taken from a nearby atomic power station. Related with the ventilation, the house was entirely air-conditioned and warmed by radiant heating in the floor. The electronic equipment was controlled by a short-wave transmitter with push buttons.

They also took into account the circulation in the space, the use each area had and other points that are nowadays something we take for granted.

New shapes appeared, most of them with organic features, new concepts of furniture like tables that could be hidden after their use or even couches and seats designed with ergonomics, something new for that time.

The presence of gardens inside the house created a new concept that was “Nature being a part of the house”.  New materials that appeared and were used for these houses came from prefabricated processes. They all had very futuristic designs in general.

When the prototype house was ready, they hired various actors and actresses to pretend they lived in the house. They wore clothes specially made for them to fit the ideal of the inhabitants who would live in this kind of houses.

Most of the people adapted to this movement but the others went back to other movements due to the nostalgic feeling they had in relation to the handicraft movements.

All in all, I think that the main idea of this house was a big step for design. The new way of thinking how a house works, its areas, uses and circulation became something to take into account. Moreover, having a garden inside, or even the fact of having a small piece of nature in your house, was a new concept that we take for granted nowadays but back then was something completely new, taking into account that these houses would be in communities that would later on form a city.