Obama-appointed preservation architect bought a UFO-shaped home made from reinforced plastic in 2002, moved it from San Diego to California’s San Jacinto mountains in 2004, and is now selling it for $1.5 million

Milford Wayne Donaldson, a preservation architect appointed by former President Barack Obama to chair the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, is selling a UFO-shaped piece of architectural history. At first glance, it looks more like a flying saucer, which is actually a livable, bright orange home in California’s San Jacinto Mountains, listed for $1.5 million, as per a recent report by the Wall Street Journal.

Donaldson, a long-time space enthusiast, purchased the neglected Futuro home in October 2002 after learning it was at risk of demolition behind the San Diego Design Center. He later told The Wall Street Journal that he could not recall exactly how much he had paid for it.

How the UFO-shaped home found a new home in the mountains

Built in the United States in 1969, the circular structure was made from reinforced fiberglass-polyester plastic; the outlet gives credit for this unusual material to the Space Age fascination of the era. Weighing around 11,900 pounds, “Futuro was designed to be easily moved to a desired site, usually by helicopter,” the publication notes.

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Donaldson and his wife, Laurie, eventually relocated the 793-square-foot home to a half-acre lot in Pine Cove, near Idyllwild. The Wall Street Journal wrote that the couple purchased the property for $70,000 in February 2003. The structure arrived at its current location in 2004, traveling from San Diego on a flatbed truck.

After the move, the couple restored the interior with a 1960s-inspired design featuring bright colors, plastic laminate finishes, and shag carpeting.

Why Donaldson is selling the historic Futuro home

Donaldson told the publication that his declining health is the main reason for him to sell the home. He also does not want to trap his wife into selling this if something goes wrong with him.

“In case something should happen to me, she’s not going to be strapped with trying to sell it,” he told WSJ. “It’s best to try to find a buyer now [who] really appreciates it…. And doesn’t just do an Airbnb or something.”

The property at 52895 Big Rock Road is listed for $1.5 million. Estimates of how many Futuro structures survive vary: Atomic Ranch identifies 19 survivors in the United States, while the Wall Street Journal estimates that between 50 and 60 remain worldwide out of roughly 100 originally built.