The story of Florida’s derelict spaceship home

A landmark of the Florida Keys, this futuristic 1970s home was once a stark contrast to the grand mega-mansions that now pepper the affluent coastline. Left vacant for many years, the UFO house sadly fell into a state of disrepair, but it was last valued at a jaw-dropping $1.6 million (£1.2m). Captured by photographer Bullet of Abandoned Florida, this architectural wonder has a fascinating story. Click or scroll through for the sad ending…



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A mysterious landmark

Once a familiar sight in the village of Islamorada, the unusual home has a relatively secretive backstory. One of the few facts we know for certain is that the UFO house originally belonged to Henry Casimir Ruzakowski, a seaplane engineer and pilot who emigrated from Poland to the United States around 1920.



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An enchanting tale

According to the Miami Herald, Ruzakowski travelled to Peru in search of gold in the mid-1950s. Yet as well as unearthing riches, he also found love – his future wife, Patricia. The two quickly married and had three children: Patricia, Henry and Edmund. Years later, they moved to the Florida Keys where they purchased an attractive waterfront plot overlooking Snake Creek. It was here that they planned to build a family home.



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Expert architect

Knowing that the site would be ideal for launching and landing his cherished seaplanes, Henry commissioned the renowned Miami-based architect Peter Vander Klout to design him a groundbreaking home that would make the most of the idyllic waterside location.



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Showstopping structure

Completed in 1978, the futuristic round house was designed around a circular concrete frame, with the interior rooms overlooking a central open-air swimming pool. At 10 feet deep, people would reportedly dive into the water from the second floor. Despite the deterioration evident in this picture, it isn’t difficult to imagine how spectacular this pool once was, especially during the height of the Florida summer.



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Mammoth operation

Constructed almost entirely from concrete, the top portion of the house was created first and is said to have weighed over 280 tonnes alone. Once it was completed, the upper section of the home was moved to its final position with hydraulic rams. Next, pylons were positioned below to support the colossal weight of the structure and the ground floor was constructed underneath.



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Creative curves

The unique, otherworldly shape is captured here in all its rotund glory, from the gentle barrelling of the roof to the wide curves of the windows. With its pitched ceilings and convex walls, the home feels like something of an optical illusion, with no angle seemingly the same. 



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Faded grandeur

The photographs also reveal a number of features from its previous life including a grand chandelier, yet it’s clear that years of abandonment have taken their toll. Uninvited visitors have graffitied the windows, while the interior looks to be a vacant, empty shell. The property was purchased by a private company in December 2012 for $950,000 (£724k) but, as this picture shows, little was seemingly done to restore the architectural marvel.



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Buckling under pressure

Thanks to its unique design, the UFO home was believed to be able to endure winds as high as 300mph, as well as a Category 5 hurricanes. However, left to languish, this photograph from a few years ago shows signs of the building buckling under the weight of its hefty concrete structure. Here, the home’s custom-made windows are seen dislodging themselves from the walls.



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Unconventional layout

While residential layouts have changed throughout the years, moving from closed to more open spaces, the UFO home offered an altogether more unusual floor plan. Joe Ziomek, who documents the history of the local area, told the Miami Herald: “The interesting thing was, here is the kitchen and there is the bedroom, but in order to get to the bedroom, you had to go all the way around the house.”



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A maze of rooms

Echoing the home’s circular form, narrow spiral staircases cast from metal connected the ground floor with the maze of rooms across the top floor, as well as the internal courtyard. This space, which may have been a bedroom judging by the recessed wardrobe, would’ve been dazzling back in the day, with its decorative ochre ceiling tiles and embossed wallpaper. 



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Lingering memories

Although unusual for a residential property, this was a happy family home for many years. The Ruzakowskis’ son, Henry, told the Miami Herald that he had many cherished memories of growing up in the landmark as a teen and young adult. 



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Nostalgic décor

A snapshot of one of the home’s old-fashioned bathrooms offers a window to the past, featuring yellow diamond tiling and a mint green vanity countertop that look to be straight from the 1970s. A dominant rotund window is positioned directly in front of the toilet and shower – we can only hope that curtains once hung here!



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Wow-factor features

In this picture, another bathroom unexpectantly features one of the home’s most spectacular design choices. Patterned copper wallpaper, which seems to have weathered the years remarkably well, makes a dramatic statement in this snug space.



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A room with a view

Just around the corner, more décor delights await. These vibrant yellow sunflower tiles would’ve once been the height of fashion. Still intact when they were photographed a number of years ago, they would’ve offered the perfect backdrop for a long, indulgent soak at the end of a long day.



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A fond fixture

Over the years, locals and intrigued passersby have reportedly given the property various fond nicknames, including Mushroom House, Spaceship House, and of course, the UFO House. While many saw the unique dwelling as an important landmark that should be protected and preserved, other locals were less than pleased.



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Legal battles and feuds

Few records exist to show when or why the Ruzakowskis moved out of the property. Yet their departure could perhaps be put down to the legal battles they faced from angry neighbours who disapproved of the family using their garden as a runway for their seaplane. The local homeowners’ association reportedly took the family to court and proceedings are said to have lasted almost a decade – despite the fact that the Federal Aviation Administration had designated the property as a seaplane base.



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Tall stories

The Ruzakowskis’ son, Henry, told the Miami Herald that some of their neighbours were apparently so unhappy that they began spreading rumours that the family were using the plane to transport drugs. “Now you can look back at it and laugh,” Henry said. “It was the 80s. I can see why some people would go down that route.” To build bridges, the Ruzakowskis later taxied the plane to and from the bay, rather than taking off from their fly-in home.



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Left to languish

Fast-forward a few decades and the eccentric home that was once at the centre of local intrigue had become a shadow of its former self. Left to languish, the walls of this dilapidated dream home were reduced to canvases for graffiti, while its pioneering design slowly crumbled. Despite its derelict state, the property, or more specifically the land it was constructed on, was reportedly valued at a staggering $1.6 million (£1.2m) in recent years.



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An enduring legacy

The Islamorada UFO house was one of many of a similar style that Peter Vander Klout designed and produced across America. While many have by now been torn down, others remain very much intact. Similar UFO-inspired properties are still standing in Plantation in Florida, Mettawa in Illinois and Garden City, South Carolina.



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Gone but not forgotten

Sadly, like many of its counterparts, this landmark home was demolished in October 2017 following Hurricane Irma but the local memory lives on. Quite unlike any other residential style found across America, the UFO house and its fascinating past reveal a rich architectural – and personal – history, fuelled by a pioneering spirit and the determination to push boundaries.

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21/21 SLIDES