But what is a bungalow anyway? Where does the term come from? And what is so great about this architectural style?
Most dictionaries are explicit: a bungalow is a one- or one-and- a-half story dwelling. Good enough, except that since the period when most bungalows were constructed – roughly 1880 to 1930 in the United States – literally every type of house has at one time been called a bungalow. Two-story houses built on the grounds of hotels are still called bungalows, for example. And to further muddy the definition, the great Southern California architect Charles Sumner Greene went out of his way to call his Gamble house (1909) in Pasadena, Calif., a bungalow. Instead, the Gamble house is a sprawling two-story residence with a third-floor pool room.
A bungalow’s distinction is its low profile. There are no vertical bungalows even though in a few cities such as Sacramento, Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, the basically horizontal house type is raised on high foundations. Promotional literature in the early 20th century almost always noted the chief purpose of the bungalow: to place most of the living spaces on one floor. The advantages are obvious–the absence of a second story simplifies the building process. Utilities can be installed more easily than in a two-story house. Safety is at a premium because, in the event of fire, windows as well as doors offer easy escape. Best of all, the bungalow allows staircases to be eliminated, a boon for the elderly and also for the homemaker, who can carry out household tasks without a lot of trips up the stairs.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
What is a bungalow anyway?
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4 comments:
To me the definition of a bungalow is a one to one and a half story house that has a sweeping roof that generally goes from one side of the house to the other (mostly left to right). They are laid out in a way that is skinnier from the front and deeper towards the back. This is the opposite for a ranch that is laid out more sideways with the front being longer and the house being less deep towards the back. This skinnier layout allows them to be placed in smaller skinnier lots in urban areas. I think the confusion is that houses with craftsmen or mission styles are often called bungalows even though they are not and bungalows often have craftsmen or mission style. Bungalow is the definition of the house structure not the style or architectural detail. With that in mind Bungalows often have similar style or architectural details (Craftsmen, Mission, Art Deco, and Art Nuevo to name a few).
Did you know that MAK's anniversary of becoming a historic district is this year? Did you know the winter home tour to raise money for DPA will feature homes from the MAK district? Did you know that ONE and ONA has pressured DPA to not include the words historic district in the advertising? Who exactly is running the assylum here? This is an embarrassment to the City of Decatur.
"Unless someone like you
cares a whole lot,
nothing is going to get better. It's not."
The Lorax- Dr. Seuss
I AM GLAD YOU GUYS CARE. KEEP IT UP.
That is absolutely crazy and if true, "One" and the ONA should be ashamed of themselves. And God forbid if the DPA if they were to actually listens to them! This is the first I've heard of it - Where did you hear this information?
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