A Series Of Experimental Homes Built To Showcase ” Life In The Future”
Bizarre Buffet
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The Xanadu Houses were a series of experimental homes built to showcase examples of computers and automation in the home in the United States. The architectural project began in 1979, and during the early 1980s three houses were built in different parts of the US: one each in Kissimmee, Florida; Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin; and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The houses included novel construction and design techniques, and became popular tourist attractions during the 1980s.
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” Xanadu: House Of The Future, House Of The Past ” – Episode Credits
Hosted By Mark Tauriello , Jen Wilson , & Marc Bluestein
Original Episode Art By Mark Tauriello
Original Episode / Story Concept By Mark Tauriello
Episode Production By Marc Bluestein
” Xanadu: House Of The Future, House Of The Past ” – Show Notes
XANADU HOUSES
INTRO:
In a past episode it was said that I like to take us way back in time…
So for this episode, I thought it was finally the right time to cover this.… But before that, let me ask you…
What do you think the future will be like 20 years from now?
For this episode I am going to cover a destination that is long gone and forgotten, and something I am so passionate about and excited to present to you guys..
In the past I have taken us to The Hotel Of Doom, Taliessen the Frank Lloyd Wright Murder House, even Tokyo for vending machine dresses…
Today I am taking us geographically to Kissimmee Florida…. Wisconsin Dells; Wisconsin…and Gatlinburg Tennessee….
I am also taking us to THE FUTURE by going back in time to 1979…
The topic for this episode is, THE XANADU HOUSES…. Do you know anything about it???
ABOUT:
The Xanadu Houses were a series of 3 experimental homes by Roy Mason that were designed to run off of computers and automation. The project began in 1979 where 3 different versions of this conceptual home of the future were built. They were marketed as “Homes of the Future”.
Aside from the homes running off of computers (1980s computers). They had VERY unusual construction methods, and looked highly Futuristic homes you would see alien life probably live in.
The 3 different Xanadu Houses were known for being built with polyurethane insulation foam instead of concrete. The benefit to this was easy, fast, and cost efficient ways of construction.
Though they were designed as “conceptual homes” they were actually tourist attractions, so they weren’t REAL homes. On average they would see about 100 to 1,000 people per day at $4 admission.
The design philosophy was considered ergonomic which is the application of psyhological and physiologycal principles to design products, processes, and systems. The goal of ergonomic design is to reduce human error, increase productivity, enhance safety with a specific focus on the interaction between humans and engineering systems.
These homes were around 4,000 square feet, offered geodesic green houses, and common areas like living room/ bedroom/ bath/ kitchen… it even had a hot tub situated in a gym/ spa moment..
The outside structure consisted of multiple domes all connection making bubble like formations that people would say looked like marshmallows or UFO’s
–
. All 3 homes were very similar with slight variations . One had a white polyfoam tree like structure that stood in the center, supporting one of the domes as “trunks” and “roots” intersected organically making this not only useful for structural support but almost acted as a built in sculpture installation. It also worked the homes air conditioning and heating system where a fake fire place stood by instead of an open flame it was a TV set that played video of a flame.
There were octagonal entry ways to random rooms, a curved spiral stair case, green floors similar to astro turf.
Many of the rooms were curved with low ceilings, making these homes flawed.
The odd shapes and colors also made it difficult for other architects to take this concept seriously.
And though there was a highly computerized component, technology was evolving as years passed ( eventually making it too fast for Xanadu house to keep up with).
-In 1983, the Kissemee version opened up just 8 minutes away from Epcot Center,. On lake front property next to lake Cecilia. It was bigger than the other 2 homes at 6,000 square feet. This would be something people would often pass on the way to Epcot, generating curiosity in hopes of also banking off of the volume of Epcott.
-The Kitchen was computerized where it prepared meals based off of the dietary/ health needs the residents. It would also call you out for over eating. Sassy Bitch.
-One bedroom had a circular bed with sensors making the home aware of body functions, and based on that, the home would change the lighting/ temp/ etc… to enhance sleep.
-As you walked through the house you could use computers and communicate with the house’s automation while also utilizing computers as a learning opportunity.
It was sort of like an early version of the Internet or Alexa. The home would open and close windows on its own, water the grass… all based on the elements. There was even an electronic hos/ hostess that played on speakers and would communicate with you during your exploration of Xanadu.
– Everyone room had a computer and one of the architects (who coined the term ArchiTronics) believed that one day schools would be obsolete and done virtually, and that people would be working from home due to computers. These plastic homes were designed especially for that concept. They also believed living like this would encourage people to stay home more and diminish traffic jams.
-Employees wore navy space suit style clothing with metallic silver belts , high popped silver collars, and silver flared our shoulder plates like from the Jetsons.
By 2005, all 3 had been long demolished.
THE END OF XANADU
-Sadly, the success of the 3 Xanadu houses were short lived. By the early 90s’ 2 of the 3 homes were already demolished. The last standing Xanadu house in Kissemee Florida closed in 1996 and sat abandoned until 2005 when it was finally demolished.
-the homes often ran over budget to keep them running and year after year the amount of tourists visiting decreased.
-The attraction was a fake facade of what could be….none of the high tech showcase features that the house has were real… it was all for show. It was a fake example of what could be. It didn’t actually self clean, or make your food…
-It was designed more or less on fantasy of what COULD BE. A simulation.
-Toursits would leave disappointed bc the house didn’t actually do anything but look really cool.
-After the first 2 years… it was purchased several times going through multiple owners and management while still functioning as the tourist spot. But year after year it became more and more outdated… where it became a common debate if people thought the house was cool or ugly?
-In1994 the location in Florida was already 10 years old and 10 years outdated…. Xanadu planned on opening a gift shop and a jet ski business since it sat on a lake in hopes to bring in more $$$
-What was once a home of the future had bow become an outdated home of the past.
-The manager of the property wanted a full refresh, but it never happened. In 1996 it finally closed,.
The last Xanadu house stood abandoned, eventually going into ruins from moisture, mold, hurricanes, the elements ,and vandals. Squatters also used it. After 9 years of being abandoned, it was torn down after being sold for 2 million dollars….. where the land would be used for condos.
-In 2007 the house was featured in a documentary called “ URBAN EXPLORERS: INTO THE DARKNESS” Showing the disrepair of this attraction where they encounter a sleeping squatter who wakes up and threatens the explorers , demanding that they “leave his home”.
-You can also see VHS footage of them exploring the Florida location day before it was demolished where they walk through the entire lay out of the building. Really cool to see but also sad considering how cool this place was and the memories.
-The 2 architects involved moved on with their lives….
BOB MASTERS moved to Hawaii where he lived in a home built out of MORE TRADITIONAL construction materials…
MURDER
ROY MASON was murdered in his home in 1996… where his obituary mentions XANADU as his greatest life achievment.. ( His muder happened outside of Washington DC in his home where a man named Christopher Hattan killed Roy in a drug induce rage, bludgeoning him to death with a hammer 25 times. His Killer, Hatten, was sentenced to prison for 14 years..
A year prior to his murder, Roy Mason’s lover, Brian Carneal, had died due to complications of HIV.
Ending:
What I find fascinating about the Xanadu Houses was that it was an obscure moment that was
too forward for its time while simultaneosly dating it self and getting caught stuck in the past.
It’s sort of paradoxical but falls into the idea of “Retro Futurism” which is what the past’s vision of the future would be like.
You see it in vintage sci fi movies all the time and I find it so fascinating. The way that 1920’s Fritz Lang in the film Metropolis viewed the future is different from how Kubrick envisioned the future after coming out of the space age 60s and to further that you look at Ridley Scott’s 1980s interpretation of the future in his film Blade Runner and Alien where things are brutalist, bleak, and saturated with artificial color and neon…. Then you look at films made today such as Elysium where cities are depicted as linear, white, clean, and look like a Mac Book.
Xanadu house will always intrigue me due to it’s look, concept, and obscurity. Sadly As we move into the future, places like this become more and more a ghost of the future past.
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