We’ve all walked past the striking Futuro House in front of the Pinakothek der Moderne countless times. But did you know that you can actually go inside the “UFO” in the Kunstareal? Right now, the retro-futuristic structure is opening its hatch to you and showcasing the exhibition “Faded Future” inside. On display are photographs of similar—but far less well-preserved—architecture from Asia. We took a peek inside for you.
What’s Behind the Futuro House
Munich isn’t the only city with a “UFO”: The Futuro houses are a design by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen from 1968. The houses are made largely of plastic and have a floor area of approximately 36 m². It’s up to the owners to decide what they’ll ultimately use them for. They can serve as vacation rentals, workspaces, or even museums, like the Futuro house in Munich.
No one can say exactly how many UFOs there are in total, but the number is estimated to be around 60. In Germany, they can be found in Berlin, Frankfurt, and Traunstein, among other places. The Munich example stood in Vlotho for 40 years, then in Witten for another 5 years, before the Pinakothek der Moderne purchased it in 2015. Since then, it has stood on the museum’s lawn and serves as an exhibition space in its own right.
Faded Futures: From Vacation Resort to Lost Place
The “Faded Futures” exhibition is currently on view at the Futuro House. The show presents 15 works by Munich-based photographer Michael Nischke, which document the decay of the so-called “UFO Village” in Wanli, Taiwan . In the early 1980s, a local businessman had a vacation park built on Taiwan’s north coast. The buildings were unauthorized replicas of the original Futuro houses.
However, the history of the Asian “UFO” settlement was short-lived. Just a few years after completion, the buildings were abandoned. The unfavorable location and harsh coastal weather conditions led to the project’s rapid decline. The futuristic structures fell into visible disrepair and were reclaimed by lush vegetation. Michael Nischke has captured this state—as a “lost place” —in his photographs, which he has been taking since 2020.
The presentation at Munich’s Futuro House offers a stark contrast between the well-maintained exhibition space and the ruins of the replicas. The photos document a place that could soon disappear entirely . Excavators have now begun to completely remove parts of the complex in Taiwan, along with the overgrown vegetation. You can visit the exhibition for free, though it’s only open three days a week. It’s best to stop by on Sundays, when admission to the Pinakotheken costs just €1, and combine both visits.
📍 Location: Futuro House, Pinakothek der Moderne
🕐 Opening hours: Wednesday 3–8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 3–6 p.m.
💶 Price information: Free
