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

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