FutureWorld

Introduction

FutureWorld in Kents Hill was held in June and July 1994, the third of three housing exhibitions held in Milton Keynes in the 1980s and ’90s. It followed HomeWorld in Bradwell Common 1981, and Energy World in Shenley Lodge in 1984.

All three exhibitions were designed to showcase forward-thinking and energy efficient house designs. The new homes demonstrated modern methods of construction, sustainable technologies, and new ways of living, including – presciently – working from home.

Demonstration homes ranged from one-off houses by architects, to system build solutions by modular fabricators, to developer-led designs. All were required to demonstrate standards of energy efficiency through the NHER ratings scheme. The centrepiece of the exhibition was a competition for the ‘House of the Future’ run by the Royal Institute of British Architects. At the end of the exhibition most homes were privately sold.

Uniquely amongst the housing exhibition sites, FutureWorld also featured an impressive collection of more than 50 artworks, compiled by Edna Read of Art in Milton Keynes (AIM). These occupied homes and gardens across the site, vacant plots, and formed a substantial sculpture trail through the adjacent picnic area and woodland.

FutureWorld at 30

In September 2024, as part of the annual MK Heritage Open Days Programme, the 30th anniversary of Futureworld at Kents Hill was celebrated. Thanks to Pooleyville, Urban Fabric and funding from Milton Keynes City Council. Two Tours took place, led by Alison Davies, Partner at Urban Fabric Architects and Head of PG Studio Unit 4 at the University of Nottingham.

Alison reprised her tours from the successful 2022 ‘Archiveopia’ Archives Programme when as Milton Keynes ‘Archivist in Residence’ she and Pooleyville explored the history of Futureworld Housing Expo via a Touring Pavilion, supported by collections and materials from the City’s Archive Partners. Encouraging residents to see their area in a new light, the link shows this travelling WikiPavilion proudly erected on the local basketball court to the amusement and interest of residents and passers-by!

Painstaking research into FutureWorld took place by the partners, with the project bringing together a range of archive materials from several archives and personal sources to recreate once again this amazing sculpture trail which had been lost to time over just thirty years! Our archives also enabled Alison and Pooleyville to give attendees a real insight into many of the houses on the tour and show that not all of the 25 Plots were taken up for the Expo with some used for later housing and one still vacant as a mini green space.

DOWNLOAD THE FUTUREWORLD HOMES INFORMATION SHEET

DOWNLOAD THE FUTUREWORLD HOMES MAP

DOWNLOAD THE FUTUREWORLD SCULPTURES INFORMATION SHEET

DOWNLOAD THE FUTUREWORLD SCULPTURES MAP

Credit: Alison Davies / Urban Fabric Architects