- 1933 Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition
The Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition was part of the
1933 ChicagoWorld's Fair . The Fair's theme that year was aCentury of Progress , and celebrated man's innovations inarchitecture ,science ,technology andtransportation . The "Homes of Tomorrow" exhibition was one of the most noteworthy exhibits of the Fair, and showcased man's modern innovations in architecture, design, and building materials.In addition to several unique
art deco and contemporary designs for a dozen model homes, futuristic home furnishings and accoutrements such as a personalhelicopter pad were anticipated. Several architects and firms used the model homes to demonstrate their techniques for thepre-fabricated home and new materials. Baked enamel and rostone — a man-made type of masonry that could be molded into specific shapes and produced in various colors — were hailed as affordable and durable home construction options.The following homes were showcased in the exhibit which ran the duration of the fair: :*Weiboldt-Rostone House, Walter Schuler, Architect:*Good Housekeeping Stran-Steel House and Stran-Steel Garden Home, O'Dell & Wirt C. Rowland, Architects:*
House of Tomorrow , George Fred Keck, Architect:*Masonite House: Frazier & Raftery, Architects:*Armco Ferro Enamel Frameless Steel House, Robert Smith, Jr. Architect:*House for Brick Manufacturers Association of America: Andrew N. Rebori, Architect:*Florida Tropical House , Robert Law Weed, Architect:*American Forest Products & Lumber Industries House: Ernest A. Grunsfeld, Jr. Architect:*General House, Inc., Howard T. Fisher, Architect:*Design for Living Home, John C.B. Moore and Horsley & Wood, Architects :*Cypress Log Cabin:*Universal Houses' Country Home.After the exposition ended in
1934 , four of the homes were put on barges and moved across Lake Michigan toIndiana [A few were moved toChicago suburbs while sixteeen were placed atBeverly Shores to help spark development in 1935. The development never happened; however. The houses are now maintained by the National Park Service as part ofIndiana Dunes National Lakeshore . Five of the original homes have survived the last 75 years on the shores ofLake Michigan and are being restored through a partnership between theNational Park Service , Indiana , theHistoric Landmarks Foundation of Indiana , and private individuals. As visitors passed through the homes during the fair, many bought plans and erected the designs in other states.References
*Century of Progress Anticipates Homes of Tomorrow. American Home, 10:18-19, June 1933.
*Chicago and Tomorrow's House? Pencil Points, 14:245-251, June 1933.
*Exhibits at Century of Progress Exhibition: Houses Constructed for the Home and Industrial Arts Exhibit (Floor Plans).:*Architectural Record, 73: supplement, May 1933.External links
* [http://users.marshall.edu/~brooks/1933_Chicago_World_Fair.htm Homes of Tomorrow] - Dr. Monica Brooks
* [http://www.nps.gov/indu/History/Century_of_Progress_homes.htm Indiana Dunes, A Century of Progress] - The World's Fair Homes
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.