During the World’s Fairs of the early 20th century, architects dreamed up what the future of home design could look like with the “House of the Future.” Some of these houses still exist, and in Palm Beach, Florida, you can actually live in one. The first-prize House of the Future from the 1939 World’s Fair (theme: “Building the World of Tomorrow”) is currently up for sale.
The Fore and Aft House was designed by the architect Belford Shoumate and built in 1940. The 5645-square-foot house is designed to look like a boat, and is situated just off the Palm Beach Intracoastal Waterway. In keeping with the ship theme, the long structure has porthole windows and an upper balcony with steamship-style railings.
The house was one of Shoumate’s first projects in Florida, where he lived for over 50 years after relocating from New York City. The designer helped reshape Palm Beach’s architecture to reflect Art Deco and other styles that provided some variety in contrast to the city’s ubiquitous Mediterranean Revival buildings. One of his other Palm Beach houses has been designated a city landmark.
The unique Fore and Aft House is currently priced at just under $8 million. Check out the interiors in the photos below:
All images courtesy TopRenRealEstateDeals.com.
November 10, 2016 – 4:30pm