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]
