The Dymaxion House is One of the Strangest Places You Can Go in Michigan
Buckminster Fuller’s little metal house is straight out of an episode of “The Jetsons.” Perfectly round with windows ringing the perimeter, it stands as both a testament to the past, and the past’s optimistic vision of the future.
The Dymaxion House was built with the intention of mass-production. It weighs just 3,000 pounds, does not require a permanent foundation, and is earthquake- and fire-proof.
The concept never took off the way Fuller intended, but one prototype still remains, a relic of another world, like a spaceship moored to Earth. Its residence is inside of the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, where it has been restored and hosts daily visitors.
Inside the 33-foot ultramodern home are two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchen – pretty impressive for an aluminum dome built in the ‘40s. The decor remains largely unchanged from the period in which it was designed; wood panels the walls and the floor, and the furniture is of the sleek, classy aesthetic that dominated the early mid-century.
Though none of Fuller’s prototypes were ever lived in as per his intentions, the one that now rests in Michigan used to be on his family’s estate, serving as an extension of their residence.
The execution was not perfect, but Fuller’s heart was in the right place. His dream of affordable, universal housing was one ripe with potential, and although he never got the Dymaxion House off the ground, it still stands today as an excellent example of innovation.
The Dymaxion House may not be Michigan’s Hot Spot, but it is one of the most interesting places in the state. The Henry Ford Museum is located at 20900 Oakwood Boulevard in Dearborn, MI. Have fun on your trip to the (futuristic) past!
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Address: 20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn, MI 48124, USA
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