Iconic 'Flying Saucer' Home in California Lists for $1.5 Million

A unique home designed to resemble a flying saucer has landed on the market in Southern California for $1.495 million. Perched on a mountaintop near Idyllwild, the Donaldson Futuro offers a retro-futuristic living experience.

The home, built in 1969, is a prefabricated dwelling wrapped in a fiberglass and polyester shell with distinctive bubble windows. It measures approximately 26 feet in diameter and weighs nearly 12,000 pounds. The interior features a compact layout with one bedroom and one bathroom, covering just under 800 square feet. Its design includes a retro aesthetic with curved built-in furniture, laminate finishes, linoleum flooring, and popcorn ceilings with gold flakes.

Access to the home is gained through a staircase that descends from a hatch, adding to its otherworldly charm. The property is surrounded by trees, offering panoramic views of the surrounding landscape through its 16 custom bubble windows and a skylight.

Designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen in the late 1960s, the Futuro was conceived as a portable ski chalet that could be easily transported, even by helicopter. It is estimated that fewer than 100 of these unique homes were ever built, with approximately half still in existence globally.

Before its current listing, the home underwent a significant rescue and restoration. Architect Milford Wayne Donaldson, who was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2010 to chair the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, discovered the neglected structure in a parking lot in the late 1970s. He rescued it from demolition and spent decades restoring it. In 2003, its relocation to the mountain lot involved a complex transport operation, including a flatbed truck, a California Highway Patrol escort, and a crane.

The property holds official recognition as a California Historical Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.