The 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago gave the world more than a celebration of progress — it birthed a home that would foreshadow nearly a century of residential construction trends. Among the 16 display homes built on the fairgrounds, one structure stood apart for its radical vision of domestic life. The House of Tomorrow, designed by architect George Keck, introduced features that seemed like science fiction in the Depression era but would become standard expectations in modern homes. Now, after decades of deterioration, this pioneering residence is finally receiving the restoration it deserves. Its story offers powerful lessons about how historic house preservation saves architectural heritage by demonstrating that yesterday’s experimental designs often become tomorrow’s building codes.
The 1933 Chicago World’s Fair and Its Experimental Homes
World’s fairs have long served as showcases for architectural ambition. The Eiffel Tower debuted at the 1889 Exposition Universelle, the Space Needle rose for the 1962 Seattle fair, and the Golden Gate Bridge coincided with the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition. The 1933 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago took a different approach: rather than building monuments, it built homes. Sixteen full-scale residences were constructed on the fairgrounds to demonstrate new building materials, innovative construction techniques, and futuristic household technologies to millions of visitors.
Each home served as a working laboratory for a different set of ideas. Some experimented with new steel framing methods. Others showcased innovative insulation materials or novel floor plans. But the House of Tomorrow went further than any of its peers, integrating mechanical systems and architectural principles that would not become mainstream for decades. Only seven of the original sixteen homes survive today, and five of those were transported by barge across Lake Michigan to Beverly Shores, Indiana, where they now sit within the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The story of how these homes were saved and what happened to them afterward connects directly to how smart kitchens and other modern innovations are finally ready for mainstream adoption, as many of the technologies first demonstrated in these experimental homes took nearly a century to become affordable and reliable enough for everyday use.
- 16 homes were built for the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition
- Only 7 have survived to the present day
- 5 were moved by barge to Beverly Shores, Indiana
- The House of Tomorrow is the most famous surviving example
Innovations That Defined a Century of Home Building
The House of Tomorrow debuted nearly thirty years before The Jetsons cartoon imagined a futuristic family, yet many of its features have since become ordinary expectations in American homes. General Electric installed its first-ever dishwasher in the house. An “iceless” refrigerator — what we would simply call a refrigerator today — kept food cold without blocks of ice. Central air conditioning, then a luxury found only in department stores and movie theaters, was built into the home. The push-button garage door opener, now completely unremarkable, was a revelation in 1933.
Keck also designed the home with passive house principles and all-electric systems that are reshaping construction today, anticipating the energy-efficient building science that would emerge decades later. The house faced south to maximize solar gain in winter, used extensive glazing to capture natural light, and incorporated shading strategies to prevent overheating in summer — all foundational concepts in modern passive house design.
| Innovation | Status in 1933 | Status Today |
|---|---|---|
| Dishwasher | First-ever GE model | Standard in 70%+ of US homes |
| Central air conditioning | Rare commercial luxury | Standard in 90%+ of new homes |
| Passive solar design | Experimental concept | Core passive house strategy |
| Glass curtain wall | Commercial-only technology | Common in residential architecture |
| Garage door opener | Push-button novelty | Nearly universal |
| Airplane hangar | Progressive vision | Still rare |
George Keck’s Architectural Breakthroughs
The architect behind the House of Tomorrow, George Keck, was not content to simply fit a house with novel appliances. He rethought the building enclosure itself. According to Indiana Landmarks, the House of Tomorrow was one of the first residential buildings in the United States to use a glass curtain wall structure — a technique previously limited to commercial skyscrapers. This decision flooded the interior with natural light and created an unprecedented visual connection between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Keck’s passive solar energy strategies were equally ahead of their time. The triangular shape of the home was not merely aesthetic; it was carefully oriented to capture sunlight during winter months while minimizing direct exposure during summer. Large windows on the south facade admitted low-angle winter sun, which warmed interior thermal mass that would release heat through the evening. Overhangs and strategically placed shading blocked the higher summer sun, keeping the interior cooler without mechanical assistance. These are the same principles that rising home sales and shifting market conditions are now making more attractive to builders and buyers who value energy efficiency and lower utility costs.
Perhaps the most startling feature of the House of Tomorrow was the attached airplane hangar. Keck genuinely believed that private aircraft would become as common as automobiles, and that every forward-thinking home should include facilities for personal aviation. While that prediction has not materialized for most households, the hangar stands as a reminder that even the most prescient architects can overestimate the speed of technological adoption.
- Glass curtain wall — First residential use of a commercial building technique
- Passive solar orientation — Triangular form optimized for seasonal sun angles
- Thermal mass integration — Interior materials that store and release heat
- Attached airplane hangar — Visionary, though unrealized, prediction of personal aviation
From World’s Fair to National Treasure: A Preservation Journey
After the 1933 fair closed, the House of Tomorrow faced an uncertain future. Like most exhibition buildings, it was never intended to last. The fact that it survived at all is remarkable. The home was relocated to Beverly Shores, Indiana, where it became a lakefront residence — but the harsh Indiana climate, with its freezing winters, lake-effect snow, and humid summers, took a heavy toll on a building designed as a temporary exhibition. Glass panels cracked, steel frames corroded, and the innovative curtain wall system began to fail.
For years, the house sat deteriorating, its once-futuristic appearance becoming a sad monument to neglected history. Then came a turning point: the House of Tomorrow was designated a National Treasure, the first property in Indiana to receive this distinction. This designation opened doors for fundraising and partnership opportunities with preservation organizations. Indiana Landmarks, the nonprofit leading the restoration charge, estimates the designation will significantly accelerate fundraising efforts. The restoration story parallels market shifts that are reshaping how builders approach older properties and renovations, as preservation becomes an increasingly valuable niche in residential construction.
The H.O.P.E. Crew: Training a New Generation of Preservation Craftspeople
The restoration of the House of Tomorrow will be carried out by the National Trust’s H.O.P.E. crew — an acronym that stands for Hands On Preservation Experience. This program takes a dual approach: it restores historically significant structures while simultaneously training young people in the craft of preservation construction. The program employs experienced preservation experts who teach crew members skills including repointing masonry, historic carpentry techniques, and window restoration. These are specialized trades that have been declining in the broader construction industry, yet remain essential for maintaining the nation’s architectural heritage.
The scale of the H.O.P.E. program is impressive. Approximately 27,000 young people participate annually, collectively contributing 13.5 million hours of preservation service each year. Participants emerge with tangible, marketable skills and direct exposure to the construction industry. Many go on to careers in historic preservation, general contracting, or specialized restoration trades. The program demonstrates how preservation projects can serve dual purposes: saving important buildings and building the workforce that will maintain them for future generations. This workforce development angle ties into what falling foreclosure rates tell home builders about market recovery and the increasing demand for skilled construction labor in a stabilizing housing market.
- Repointing — Repairing mortar joints in historic masonry
- Historic carpentry — Working with period-appropriate wood joinery techniques
- Window restoration — Rebuilding rather than replacing original window assemblies
- Steel frame repair — Addressing corrosion in early curtain wall systems
- Glass replacement — Matching historic glass profiles and installation methods
What the House of Tomorrow Teaches Builders Today
The House of Tomorrow is more than a historical curiosity — it is a case study in how residential construction evolves. The features that seemed impossibly futuristic in 1933 — central air conditioning, dishwashers, passive solar design, glass curtain walls — are now standard expectations. This pattern of innovation diffusion has direct implications for builders today. The experimental technologies being showcased in modern homes, from integrated smart systems to advanced building envelopes, may seem optional or niche now, but history suggests many will become baseline expectations within a generation.
The restoration also highlights the importance of designing for longevity. The House of Tomorrow was built as a temporary exhibition, not a permanent residence. Its materials and construction methods reflected that assumption. Yet it has survived nearly a century and is now being saved at considerable expense. Builders who invest in durable materials, accessible mechanical systems, and adaptable floor plans create homes that can serve multiple generations of occupants and retain value through changing market conditions. As the construction industry continues to evolve, the innovations we dismiss as impractical today may well become the preservation projects of tomorrow. The story of this remarkable home reminds us that features that seem foreign to American home construction can eventually gain mainstream traction when they solve real problems for homeowners.