A Brief History of Bungalow House Plans
The terms "craftsman house plans" and "bungalow house plans" are often used without distinction, even though there is a fundamental difference. Bungalow house plans represent a particular form of house or building, whereas craftsman house plans generally refer to the Arts and Crafts architectural or interior movement. A bungalow can, in effect, exhibit a craftsman style, and many of them do.
The term "bungalow" is derived from the Bengali noun bangla, referring to a low house with galleries, or porches, all around it. The first bungalows in America appeared after the Philadelphia Centennial celebrations of 1876. Americans were striving to move away from the Old World precedents of architecture that dominated the 19th century and became interested in adding more simplicity and integrity to American homes. The Arts and Crafts movement, in other words, was a reaction to the mass-produced, grandiose Victorian styles that were typical during the Industrial Revolution. It was clear that people were more interested in stylish but small home plans.
By the 1890s, bungalow house plans had begun to proliferate on the West Coast, particularly in California. In home pattern books across the U.S., the California Bungalow was all the rage and was reproduced in various forms to accommodate the middle and working classes. The Greene brothers of Pasadena were credited with popularizing the West Coast bungalow, whose unique style paid homage to the board and shingle buildings of California as well as authentic Japanese sources. One clear source for the brothers' take on bungalow house plans was the Japanese Hooden exhibit at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Greene and Greene primarily depended on wooden construction in which their principal achievements consisted of four luxurious homes designed between 1907-1909: the Blacker House in Pasadena, the Gamble House in Pasadena, the Thorsen House in Berkeley, and the Pratt House in Ojai. These homes were dubbed "bungalows" by architectural experts.
The bungalow form influenced by Greene and Greene became the common builder's house between 1910-1920. The bungalow style, with its many variations, commonly matched this description: a low, gabled, house of one or one-and-a-half stories with front pitched roof extended to shelter a large porch. By the 1990s craftsman house plans and their associated bungalow form were enjoying a revival across the nation. Still today, many Americans are either restoring old bungalows or purchasing new craftsman bungalows constructed as either specially designed custom homes or on the larger scale of production. With the green-building movement in full throttle, many green home plans are now built in the bungalow and craftsman style.
About the Author
Written by Penelope Holiday. Customized bungalow house plans and green home plans. Efficient, sustainable construction with craftsman house plans by Home Patterns.
Tell others about
this page:
Comments? Questions? Email Here