Model of New York City from the 1939 New York World’s Fair

Not to be confused with a certain animated series, Futurama was an exhibit at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. I love this citywide model created for the exhibit.

From Wikipedia:

Futurama was an exhibit/ride at the 1939 New York World’s Fair designed by Norman Bel Geddes that tried to show the world 20 years into the future (1959–1960), including automated highways and vast suburbs. The exhibit was sponsored by the General Motors Corporation. Compared to other “visions of the future,” Bel Geddes’ was rather achievable—the most advanced technology posited was the automated highway system, of which GM did indeed build a working prototype by 1960.

Futurama is widely held to have first introduced the general American public to the concept of a network of superhighways connecting the nation.

Reminds me of the remarkable Urban Planning Exhibition Hall in Beijing.

Images from the Life Photo Archive on Google Images via Designspiration

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