Why is there a giant flying saucer in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine (93)?

Published by Margot de Sortiraparis · Photos by Margot de Sortiraparis · Published on October 21th, 2023 at 01:35 p.m.
In the inner suburbs of Paris, a strange object stands in the heart of the Dauphine market, at the Puces de Saint-Ouen. What is this huge flying saucer that seems to have come straight from another universe?

This huge flying saucer, or Futuro House after thearchitect Matti Suuronen, who created it in 1968, is certainly the most unusual of the objects at the Puces de Saint-Ouen market. After landing in the Puces Dauphine market in 2012 (following its acquisition by Benoît Ramognino of Velvet Galerie), it is now the emblem of this market.

It was in 1968 that one of Matti Suuronen's friends commissioned him to design a project as unusual as it was unprecedented, and eventually produced around a hundred examples worldwide, making the Futuro House a highly prized object, thanks to its rarity. The model exhibited at the Puces de Saint-Ouen is orange, while the others are white, yellow, turquoise...

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Before being exhibited at the Flea Market, the Futuro House was actually a mobile home for holidaymakers. Where some people rent out mobile homes, motorhomes and converted vans, others call on renowned architects to come up with a unique design that can be dismantled and reassembled at will. Inspired by the concept of tiny houses, the Futuro House is particularly innovative, as it can be moved to hard-to-reach locations such as snow-covered mountainsides, can withstand extreme temperatures down to -20°C, and can be dismantled ad infinitum!

Unfortunately, the Futuro House on display at the Marché Dauphine can't be visited from the inside, but if you're visiting the Puces de Saint-Ouen, do come and see it for yourself!

Les puces de Saint-Ouen 2023 - image00032Les puces de Saint-Ouen 2023 - image00032Les puces de Saint-Ouen 2023 - image00032Les puces de Saint-Ouen 2023 - image00032 Les Puces de Saint-Ouen, the world's largest antiques market, just outside Paris
On the outskirts of Paris, the town of Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine is famous for its flea market. And if the name of this huge antiques market is reminiscent of that of the little beasts, there are above all centuries of history to discover around this historic market. [Read more]

Practical information

Dates and Opening Time
From October 21th, 2023 to December 27th, 2027

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    Location

    132 Rue des Rosiers
    93400 Saint Ouen

    Prices
    Free

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