California Bungalow
Encyclopedia
California bungalows, known as Californian bungalows in Australia and are commonly called simply bungalow
s in America, are a form of residential
structure that were widely popular across America
and, to some extent, the world around the years 1910 to 1939.
with unenclosed rafter
s, and typically feature a gable
(or an attic vent designed to look like one) over the main portion of the house. Ideally, bungalows are horizontal in massing, and are integrated with the earth by use of local materials and transitional plantings. This helps create the signature look most people associate with the California Bungalow.
Bungalows commonly have wood shingle
, horizontal siding or stucco
exteriors, as well as brick
or stone exterior chimneys and a partial-width front porch. Larger bungalows might have asymmetrical "L" shaped porches. The porches were often enclosed at a later date, in response to increased street noise. A "California" bungalow (except in Australia, see below) is not made of brick, but in other bungalows, most notably in the Chicago area, this is commonplace due in large part to the weather.
A variation called the "Airplane Bungalow
" has a much smaller area on its second floor, centered on the structure, and is thought to look like the cockpit
of an early airplane.
, entered directly from the front door, in place of parlor
s and sitting rooms, as well as a smaller kitchen
. The focal point of the living room is the fireplace
, and the living room often has a broad opening into a separate dining room
.
All common areas are on the first floor with cozy atmospheres. Though the ceilings are lower than in homes of Victorian architecture
, they are usually higher than in ranch
es and other homes built later. Attic
s are located under the sloping roof.
The bungalow actually traces its origins to the India
n province of Bengal
, the word itself derived from the Hindi bangla or house in Bengali style. The native thatched roof huts were adapted by the British
, who built bungalows as houses for administrators and as summer retreats. Refined and popularized in California
, many books list the first California house dubbed a bungalow as the one designed by the San Francisco architect A. Page Brown in the early 1890s. However, Brown's close friend, Joseph Worcester, designed a bungalow for himself and erected it atop a hill in Piedmont, across the bay from San Francisco, in 1877-78. The bungalow influenced Bernard Maybeck, Willis Polk and other San Francisco architects and Jack London, who rented Worcester's house from 1902-03 called it a "bungalow with a capital 'B.
The bungalow became popular because it met the needs of changing times in which the lower middle class were moving from apartments to private houses in great numbers. Bungalows were modest, inexpensive and low-profile. Before World War I
, a bungalow could be built for as little as $900 although the price rose to around $3,500 after the war. Bungalow designs were spread by the practice of building from mail-order plans available from illustrated catalogs, sometimes with alterations based on local practice or conditions. A variety of firms offered precut homes, which were shipped by rail or ship and assembled on site. These were most common in locations without a strong existing construction industry, or for company towns, to be built in a short time. The majority of bungalows did include some elements of mass production; typically doors, windows, and built-in furnishings such as bookcases, desks, or folding beds were sourced from lumber yards or from catalogs.
Bungalows can be found in the older neighborhoods of most American cities. In fact, they were so popular for a time that many cities have what is called a "Bungalow Belt" of homes built in the 1920s. These neighborhoods were often clustered along streetcar lines as they extended into the suburbs. Bungalows were built in smaller groups than is typical today, often one to three at a time.
with a high concentration of California Bungalows include: Belmont Heights
in Long Beach, California
, the Wood Streets in Riverside, California, Bungalow Heaven in Pasadena, California, Highland Park
in Los Angeles, California
, and North Park
(site of the proposed "Dryden District
") in San Diego, California;
Examples in other U.S. States include: the Avenues District in Salt Lake City; Midtown Columbus, Georgia
; Houston Heights, Houston, Texas
; Park Hill
and Washington Park
in Denver, Colorado; Takoma Park, Maryland
, and Tacoma, Washington, D.C.; Cherrydale
and other neighborhoods in Arlington County, Virginia
; Del Ray in Alexandria, Virginia
; The Garden District in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
; and the West University Neighborhood in Tucson, Arizona
.
movement, sometimes mistakenly referred to as Mission Revival style
, and the emergence of special-interest publications such as American Bungalow Magazine have contributed to the bungalow's recent popularity. Rising house prices nation-wide through the late 1990s and early 2000s as well as the central and convenient location of many bungalow-heavy urban neighborhoods have further fueled demand for these houses; as one example, some three-bedroom bungalows in San Diego can sell for $650,000 to $700,000, or more. The pricing of bungalows does seem to be dependent, however, on the strength of the local housing market; many bungalows in Detroit, Michigan
, for instance, have been abandoned, and are being razed.
film industry, which popularised American clothes, furniture, cars and houses, and also with the increased importation of U.S. architectural magazines into Australia, a society which previously had been heavily influenced by British domestic styles.
The bungalow in Australia underwent regional adaptations, being built in the local red brick in Melbourne
and the local liver-coloured brick of Sydney
, and in limestone in South Australia
. The bungalow was also constructed out of timber — in tropical Queensland
these were raised on high (eight-foot) stilts as the Ashgrovian Queenslander.
, Dutch Colonial Revival, Mission Revival
, and Spanish Colonial Revival
Styles became very popular in the first half of the 1900s.
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
s in America, are a form of residential
Residential area
A residential area is a land use in which housing predominates, as opposed to industrial and commercial areas.Housing may vary significantly between, and through, residential areas. These include single family housing, multi-family residential, or mobile homes. Zoning for residential use may permit...
structure that were widely popular across America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and, to some extent, the world around the years 1910 to 1939.
Exterior features
Bungalows are 1 or 1½ story houses, with sloping roofs and eavesEaves
The eaves of a roof are its lower edges. They usually project beyond the walls of the building to carry rain water away.-Etymology:"Eaves" is derived from Old English and is both the singular and plural form of the word.- Function :...
with unenclosed rafter
Rafter
A rafter is one of a series of sloped structural members , that extend from the ridge or hip to the downslope perimeter or eave, designed to support the roof deck and its associated loads.-Design:...
s, and typically feature a gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
(or an attic vent designed to look like one) over the main portion of the house. Ideally, bungalows are horizontal in massing, and are integrated with the earth by use of local materials and transitional plantings. This helps create the signature look most people associate with the California Bungalow.
Bungalows commonly have wood shingle
Wood shingle
Wood shingles are roof shingles made of cut wood, used for roofing material. Such roofing material made from split wood is referred to as "shakes"....
, horizontal siding or stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
exteriors, as well as brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
or stone exterior chimneys and a partial-width front porch. Larger bungalows might have asymmetrical "L" shaped porches. The porches were often enclosed at a later date, in response to increased street noise. A "California" bungalow (except in Australia, see below) is not made of brick, but in other bungalows, most notably in the Chicago area, this is commonplace due in large part to the weather.
A variation called the "Airplane Bungalow
Airplane Bungalow
Airplane Bungalow style dates from the early 20th century and grew out of the Arts and Crafts Movement. The Airplane Bungalow is typically found with American Craftsman or Prairie Style elements.-See also:*L. A. and Adelheid Machemehl House...
" has a much smaller area on its second floor, centered on the structure, and is thought to look like the cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
of an early airplane.
Interior features
Unlike earlier private homes, true bungalows do not include quarters for servants, and have a simple living roomLiving room
A living room, also known as sitting room, lounge room or lounge , is a room for entertaining adult guests, reading, or other activities...
, entered directly from the front door, in place of parlor
Parlour
Parlour , from the French word parloir, from parler , denotes an "audience chamber". In parts of the United Kingdom and the United States, parlours are common names for certain types of food service houses, restaurants or special service areas, such as tattoo parlors...
s and sitting rooms, as well as a smaller kitchen
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation.In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a...
. The focal point of the living room is the fireplace
Fireplace
A fireplace is an architectural structure to contain a fire for heating and, especially historically, for cooking. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or other flue allows gas and particulate exhaust to escape...
, and the living room often has a broad opening into a separate dining room
Dining room
A dining room is a room for consuming food. In modern times it is usually adjacent to the kitchen for convenience in serving, although in medieval times it was often on an entirely different floor level...
.
All common areas are on the first floor with cozy atmospheres. Though the ceilings are lower than in homes of Victorian architecture
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
, they are usually higher than in ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
es and other homes built later. Attic
Attic
An attic is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building . Attic is generally the American/Canadian reference to it...
s are located under the sloping roof.
History
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n province of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, the word itself derived from the Hindi bangla or house in Bengali style. The native thatched roof huts were adapted by the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, who built bungalows as houses for administrators and as summer retreats. Refined and popularized in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, many books list the first California house dubbed a bungalow as the one designed by the San Francisco architect A. Page Brown in the early 1890s. However, Brown's close friend, Joseph Worcester, designed a bungalow for himself and erected it atop a hill in Piedmont, across the bay from San Francisco, in 1877-78. The bungalow influenced Bernard Maybeck, Willis Polk and other San Francisco architects and Jack London, who rented Worcester's house from 1902-03 called it a "bungalow with a capital 'B.
The bungalow became popular because it met the needs of changing times in which the lower middle class were moving from apartments to private houses in great numbers. Bungalows were modest, inexpensive and low-profile. Before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, a bungalow could be built for as little as $900 although the price rose to around $3,500 after the war. Bungalow designs were spread by the practice of building from mail-order plans available from illustrated catalogs, sometimes with alterations based on local practice or conditions. A variety of firms offered precut homes, which were shipped by rail or ship and assembled on site. These were most common in locations without a strong existing construction industry, or for company towns, to be built in a short time. The majority of bungalows did include some elements of mass production; typically doors, windows, and built-in furnishings such as bookcases, desks, or folding beds were sourced from lumber yards or from catalogs.
Examples in America
Examples of neighborhoods in Southern CaliforniaSouthern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
with a high concentration of California Bungalows include: Belmont Heights
Belmont Heights, Long Beach, California
Belmont Heights is a neighborhood in the south-east portion of the city of Long Beach, California, United States, bordering the Pacific Ocean and the more commercial community of Belmont Shore. It is primarily residential but has a mix of local businesses and entertainment within a short walking...
in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, the Wood Streets in Riverside, California, Bungalow Heaven in Pasadena, California, Highland Park
Highland Park, Los Angeles, California
Highland Park is a neighborhood in Northeast Los Angeles.-Geography:Highland Park is located along the Arroyo Seco. It is situated within what was once Rancho San Rafael of the Spanish / Mexican era...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, and North Park
North Park, San Diego, California
North Park is a neighborhood in San Diego, California, USA. It is situated to the northeast of Balboa Park, bounded on the north by the canyons overlooking Mission Valley, on the south by Switzer Canyon and the South Park neighborhood, on the east by Interstate 805 and City Heights, and on the...
(site of the proposed "Dryden District
David Owen Dryden
David Owen Dryden , was a renowned San Diego builder-architect best known for his craftsman-style bungalows in the suburbs north of San Diego's Balboa Park including the North Park, Mission Hills and University Heights neighborhoods. Most of Dryden's work was constructed between 1911 and 1919...
") in San Diego, California;
Examples in other U.S. States include: the Avenues District in Salt Lake City; Midtown Columbus, Georgia
Midtown Columbus, Georgia
MidTown is an area of nine square miles in Columbus, Georgia. Within its boundaries are diverse residential neighborhoods and historic districts, eleven public schools, numerous parks and public greenspaces, the Columbus Museum, the Columbus Public Library, the Muscogee County Public Education...
; Houston Heights, Houston, Texas
Houston Heights, Houston, Texas
Houston Heights is a community located in northwest-central Houston, Texas .-History:...
; Park Hill
Park Hill, Denver, Colorado
Park Hill is a neighborhood in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. Located in the northeastern quadrant of the city, it is bordered by Colorado Boulevard on the west, East Colfax Avenue on the south, Quebec Street on the east, and East 52nd Avenue on the north. The entire Park Hill neighborhood is located in...
and Washington Park
Washington Park, Denver
-Geography:Washington Park is located in south central Denver. The park is long and rectangular and is bordered by Virginia Avenue on the north, Downing Street on the west, Louisiana Avenue on the south, and Franklin Street on the east...
in Denver, Colorado; Takoma Park, Maryland
Takoma Park, Maryland
Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C., and part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Founded in 1883 and incorporated in 1890, Takoma Park, informally called "Azalea City," is a Tree City USA and a nuclear-free zone...
, and Tacoma, Washington, D.C.; Cherrydale
Cherrydale, Arlington County, Virginia
Cherrydale is a neighborhood in northern Arlington, Virginia. It is centered on the intersection known as the Five Points consisting of Quincy Street, Military Road, and Old Dominion Road being bisected by Lee Highway . Located in the community is the H-B Woodlawn school...
and other neighborhoods in Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
; Del Ray in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
; The Garden District in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
; and the West University Neighborhood in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
.
Resurgent interest
Resurgent interest in the American Arts & Crafts or American CraftsmanAmerican Craftsman
The American Craftsman Style, or the American Arts and Crafts Movement, is an American domestic architectural, interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts style and lifestyle philosophy that began in the last years of the 19th century. As a comprehensive design and art...
movement, sometimes mistakenly referred to as Mission Revival style
Mission Revival Style architecture
The Mission Revival Style was an architectural movement that began in the late 19th century for a colonial style's revivalism and reinterpretation, which drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century Spanish missions in California....
, and the emergence of special-interest publications such as American Bungalow Magazine have contributed to the bungalow's recent popularity. Rising house prices nation-wide through the late 1990s and early 2000s as well as the central and convenient location of many bungalow-heavy urban neighborhoods have further fueled demand for these houses; as one example, some three-bedroom bungalows in San Diego can sell for $650,000 to $700,000, or more. The pricing of bungalows does seem to be dependent, however, on the strength of the local housing market; many bungalows in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, for instance, have been abandoned, and are being razed.
California bungalow in Australia
The California Bungalow style was particularly popular in Australia from 1913 onwards. This period coincided with the rise of the HollywoodCinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
film industry, which popularised American clothes, furniture, cars and houses, and also with the increased importation of U.S. architectural magazines into Australia, a society which previously had been heavily influenced by British domestic styles.
The bungalow in Australia underwent regional adaptations, being built in the local red brick in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and the local liver-coloured brick of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, and in limestone in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. The bungalow was also constructed out of timber — in tropical Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
these were raised on high (eight-foot) stilts as the Ashgrovian Queenslander.
Stylistic evolution
The bungalow was so popular in California and Australia that very few houses were built in any other style during the 1920s. A range of other detailing influences, including Georgian RevivalGeorgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
, Dutch Colonial Revival, Mission Revival
Mission Revival Style architecture
The Mission Revival Style was an architectural movement that began in the late 19th century for a colonial style's revivalism and reinterpretation, which drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century Spanish missions in California....
, and Spanish Colonial Revival
Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture
The Spanish Colonial Revival Style was a United States architectural stylistic movement that came about in the early 20th century, starting in California and Florida as a regional expression related to history, environment, and nostalgia...
Styles became very popular in the first half of the 1900s.
See also
- The ultimate bungalowUltimate bungalowUltimate bungalow is a term most commonly used to describe very large and detailed Craftsman style homes, taking the bungalow style and interpreting it on a large scale. The style is associated with such California architects as Greene and Greene, Bernard Maybeck and Julia Morgan...
article for more information about large and detailed Craftsman style homes. - Airplane BungalowAirplane BungalowAirplane Bungalow style dates from the early 20th century and grew out of the Arts and Crafts Movement. The Airplane Bungalow is typically found with American Craftsman or Prairie Style elements.-See also:*L. A. and Adelheid Machemehl House...
External links
- Illustrated Features of Bungalows
- What is a Bungalow? from American Bungalow magazine
- Bungalow at residence Californie the Netherlands