Revisions of home: lessons in the 20th-century American house

Residential Architect, Nov-Dec, 2004 by Meghan Drueding

Out of the millions of houses built in the United States from the early 1900s through the 1970s, the vast majority qualify as a classic builder-driven house type. American foursquares dominated the outskirts of cities in the late 1800s and early 1900s, only to give way to the beloved bungalow of the 1910s, '20s, and '30s. The Cape Cod cottage and the center-hall colonial, both revivals of house types built for centuries, enjoyed pre and post-World War 11 popularity. During the 1950s, '60s, and '70s, the ranch house and the split-level muscled in and redefined the look of the suburbs. Each of these six types reflects the idealized lifestyle of its era, and each one has its own idiosyncrasies. Buyers are drawn by their locations, their detailing, or their affordability--and turned off by their modest kitchens, baths, and master suites. For better or worse, these houses provide a vast canvas of potential remodels for today's architects. And the quality of their renovations affects the built environment just as much as brand-new development.

foursquare

best feature: distinctive boxy form

to do: add kitchen/family room new master suite more storage

Take a look at a typical foursquare floor plan, and its practical Midwestern roots become instantly apparent. No space is wasted on hallways or superfluous storage; each room leads logically to the next. This house type's simple, almost cube-like, form and its four-room-up, four-down plan hold renewed appeal for modem-day homeowners. It tends to dwell mostly on the outer edges of cities, in desirable, well-established areas with elm trees and neighborhood watch associations. And because it was typically constructed around the turn of the century, when skilled labor was cheap and materials such as plaster walls and wood windows were standard, the foursquare has held up beautifully. "The more solidly a house is built, the easier it is to remodel," says Minneapolis architect Robert Gerloff, AIA. "It stays truer and is easier to rework."

That's a good thing, because this particular plan type lacks many features current homeowners won't do without. A classic foursquare has a particularly closed-off kitchen, little storage space, and no first-floor bath. "Because of the size of the house, it usually requires an addition," says Cincinnati architect John Senhauser, FAIA. "There just isn't enough storage." The extra space most often comes in the form of a combined kitchen and family room on the rear of the house. "Foursquares don't have big side yards in many cases, so you add onto the rear by default," Senhauser explains. More storage, often in the form of a back-door mudroom, is a must. Expanded master suites, with walk-in closets and enlarged baths, abound--most architects place them either above the first-floor addition or in the former attic space.

The foursquare's most defining point, its blocky shape, makes adding on a tricky proposition. "It was conceived as an object, so when you add to it, it's hard to have it not look tacked on" says Senhauser. "It doesn't lend itself to additions in the way houses with more linear plans do." Architects diverge on the best way to tackle this situation. "My goal is to work with the historic forms so that the addition may have been there originally," says David Wagner, AIA, of SALA Architects in Minneapolis. "I'll match the rooflines or, if it's a two-story addition, tic it into the main roof form." Those hailing from the opposite school of thought will purposely separate the addition from the house, either stylistically or physically, to preserve the foursquare's character. The latter is a favorite strategy of Bethesda, Md., architect Paul Treseder, AIA, who often creates a pavilion linked to the main house rather than a full-on addition.

case study:

bungalow

best feature: handcrafted details

to do: open up first floor connect to back yard enlarge kitchens and baths

Judging from the high percentage of architects who live in remodeled bungalows, this house type holds enduring appeal for the design-conscious. Although different styles populate different parts of the country--Queen Anne in the Northwest, Spanish colonial in Southern California, and Craftsman nearly everywhere--admirers all over list the same attributes: beautiful detailing, strong curb appeal, and, like the foursquare, rock-solid construction. "They've withstood earthquakes," says Georgie Kajer, AIA, of Pasadena, Calif. "There's a difference in how they were built and detailed, compared with homes built after World War II."

For today's daylight-loving public, however, the home's interior is entirely too dark. The front porch and deep roof overhangs present in many bungalows can block light from entering the house. And the kitchen, living room, and dining room tend to feel separated from one another, which only compounds the problem. "Opening up the wails inside helps with the darkness, allowing the rooms to share light," says Gerry Cowart, AIA, of Savannah, Ga. "You can use cased openings so you're not taking out the entire wall." Simply widening the openings between rooms appeals to Gary Earl Parsons, AIA, of Berkeley, Calif. "It keeps the basic floor plan intact," he says.