House of Tomorrow
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House of Tomorrow, Century of Progress Architectural District
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Location: | 214 Lake Front Dr., Beverly Shores, Indiana |
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Built: | 1933 |
Architect: | Walter Scholer, George Fred Keck,[1] et al. |
Governing body: | National Park Service |
Part of: | Beverly Shores-Century of Progress Architectural District (#86001472[2]) |
Added to NRHP: | June 30, 1986 |
The House of Tomorrow at 241 West Lake Front Drive, Beverly Shores, Indiana, was originally part of Chicago's 1933-34 Century of Progress Exposition. Designed as the house of the future, this house included its own airplane hangar. Glass walls offered views from every angle and so taxed the experimental air conditioning system that the cooling system failed.[3]
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The House of Tomorrow is one of five structures from the Century of Progress' 1933 Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition in Chicago, Illinois. It was designed by George Fred Keck and reflects European modernism. The design conveyed the ideals of the fair and its emphasis on science and technology.[4]
After the close of the Century of Progress, the structure was sold to Robert Bartlett for $2,500. Bartlett was developing a residential subdivision in Beverly Shores, Indiana. The house was placed on a barge and moved across Lake Michigan to Indiana. In April 1938, Bartlett sold the house to become a private residence.[5]
The building was dodecagonal in design using aluminum fascia with vermiculite interior walls. Plate glass walls are the most notable feature of the building. An airplane hangar was included, set four feet lower than the ground floor.[6] When the house was moved to Beverly Shores, the ground floor was modified to make use of the garage and airplane hangar for living space. A carport was added. Windows were modified so that the occupants could open and close them to control the internal environment.[7] The interior is designed around a central staircase in the duodecagnol structure. Most rooms are wedge shaped.
Restoration efforts on the House of Tomorrow House were started in 1997, with the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana searching for potential leasees to restore the building.[8] As of 2011, the Park Service is once again looking for a long-term renter to complete the restoration of the property. The previous renter vacated the property after the restoration cost estimates exceeded previous budgeted amounts. The current restoration cost is estimated at $2 million.
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