The Don Carlos Court in Pasadena, California

A bungalow court is a style of small housing development which features several small, usually detached houses arranged around a central garden or yard. The bungalow court was created in Pasadena, California in 1909 and was the predominant form of multi-family housing in Southern California from the 1910s through the 1930s. Homes in bungalow courts were generally small, low-rise (often 1 or 1.5 story) houses in the spirit of bungalow design; however, the homes were designed in a variety of architectural styles, including Swiss chalet and Spanish Colonial Revival. Bungalow courts also integrated their courtyards with the homes, providing green space to homeowners.[1]

Bungalow courts were generally marketed at people who wanted the amenities of a single-family home without its high cost. While each family in a bungalow court had its own house and garden, upkeep and land were shared among the residents.[2]

Bungalow courts were especially popular in Pasadena, the city of their origin. The courts' design prompted the Pasadena City Council to pass regulations requiring all multi-family housing in the city to be centered on a landscaped courtyard. In addition, of the 112 surviving bungalow courts in Pasadena, 43 have a historic designation such as a listing on the National Register of Historic Places.[3] The city is attempting to list the remaining eligible courts due to the design's role in Pasadena history.[4]

The United States has seen renewed interest in bungalow courts with the growing popularity of the missing middle housing concept.[5][6] The concept focuses on updating zoning codes to permit diverse housing types such as bungalow courts, duplexes, and secondary suites.[7][5] Many communities throughout the country have responded to this movement by permitting bungalow courts with other diverse housing types.[8][9][10]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bungalow courts.
  1. ^ Sullivan, Dennis. "Bungalow Courts: Designed for California Living". Redondo Beach Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 17, 2011. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  2. ^ "Bungalow Courts". Fullerton Heritage. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  3. ^ "Bungalow Courts in Pasadena". Planning & Community Development. City of Pasadena. Archived from the original on March 10, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  4. ^ Williams, Janette (February 16, 2011). "New tally of Pasadena's historic bungalow courts". Pasadena Star-News. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Missing Middle Housing: Diverse choices for walkable neighborhood living". Missing Middle Housing. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  6. ^ "Will U.S. Cities Design Their Way Out of the Affordable Housing Crisis?". nextcity.org. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  7. ^ ""Missing middle" can offer more housing choices". The CT Mirror. 2019-09-13. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  8. ^ Gjerdingen, Eric (2020-09-10). "Why Missing Middle Housing is an Emerging Trend in Multi-Family Development". SEH®. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  9. ^ Willis, Haisten. "Downsizing the American Dream: The new trend toward 'missing middle housing'". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  10. ^ "Missing Middle Housing: Thinking Big and Building Small to Respond to Today's Housing Crisis". Planetizen - Urban Planning News, Jobs, and Education. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
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