Video post WWII shows what would be the “house of the future”
“What will the future look like? What will tomorrow's houses be made of? How much will they cost? What about big-city or prefab homes? ”With these questions, the US government opens a video that projects the next few years in the post-World War II residential construction sector. And what was the conception of what they called the future?
Basically, the so-called 1945 Army-Navy “electronic magazine” call dreamed of cheap and efficient homes, something that still remains the goal of everyone looking for a place to live. This ideal was even more powerful in a period of expansion, for in previous years all efforts were focused on war.
The promise was that the best home was in the store. This rarely came true, especially for the black population - including veterans returning from the line of battle. But it served as an incentive to defeat fascism and bring the Allies back home. The film emphasizes the fact that many of the new technologies developed during the conflict, such as the Plexiglass for artillery towers, would be incorporated into home consumer goods.
“Prefab” was the buzzword
One of the most popular ideas that emerged from the postwar real estate boom was the notion of prefab homes. It was an alternative to bringing cheap housing to the masses - millions of people returning from World War II and needing a place to live.
The “kitchen of the future” shown in the video boasts pearly white sinks and some futuristic gadgets, such as a waffle baking dish and a built-in meat oven. "And the interior of these houses of tomorrow will shine with so many work-saving devices, " says the video narrator. "Efficient and pleasant, they will be clean, well-lit, expertly designed and easy to maintain."
In 2008, the model kitchen designed by the glass company Libbey-Owens-Ford even revisited the United States from the 1940s to show people what the future had in store. "Prefabricated houses and prefab houses are still in the experimental phase, awaiting the final word from the men and women who will make the purchase and the building, " warns the narrator.
Today, it can be said that many of the gadgets originally designed to combat enemies on the front have become smart home appliances and we are very close to having homes that look more like science fiction movies than that recorded video over 70 years ago. Paradoxically, young people today are less concerned with home ownership and more inclined to pay rent and spend savings on experiences such as travel. What does the next 70 years hold for us?
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Post World War II video shows what would be the “home of the future” via TecMundo
