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{{Short description|American domestic architectural style}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
[[File:HouseII2007.jpg|thumb|Large custom ranch house built in 1966 in Bakersfield, California. This house exhibits most of the features of the style, such as long low profile and large windows.]]
[[File:HouseII2007.jpg|thumb|Large custom ranch house built in 1966 in Bakersfield, California. This house exhibits most of the features of the style, such as long low profile and large windows.]]
[[File:RamblerHouse.JPG|right|thumb|Smaller ranch-style house in [[West Jordan, Utah]], with brick exterior and side drop [[gable]] roof]]
[[File:RamblerHouse.JPG|right|thumb|Smaller ranch-style house in [[West Jordan, Utah|West Jordan]], Utah, with brick exterior and side drop [[gable]] roof]]


'''Ranch''' (also known as '''American ranch''', '''California ranch''', '''rambler''', or '''rancher''') is a domestic [[architectural style]] originating in the [[United States]]. The ranch-style house is noted for its long, close-to-the-ground profile, and wide open layout. The house style fused modernist ideas and styles with notions of the American Western period of wide open spaces to create a very informal and casual living style. While the original style of the ranch was informal and basic in design, starting around the early 1960s, many ranch-style houses constructed in the United States (particularly in the [[Sun Belt]] region) were increasingly built with more dramatic features like varying roof lines, cathedral ceilings, sunken living rooms, and extensive landscaping and grounds.
'''Ranch''' (also known as '''American ranch''', '''California ranch''', '''rambler''', or '''rancher''') is a domestic [[architectural style]] that originated in the United States. The ranch-style house is noted for its long, close-to-the-ground profile, and wide open layout. The style fused modernist ideas and styles with notions of the American Western period of wide open spaces to create a very informal and casual living style. While the original ranch style was informal and basic in design, ranch-style houses built in the United States (particularly in the [[Sun Belt]] region) from around the early 1960s increasingly had more dramatic features such as varying roof lines, cathedral ceilings, sunken living rooms, and extensive landscaping and grounds.


First appearing as a residential style in the 1920s, the ranch was extremely popular with the [[Post–World War II economic expansion|booming post-war]] middle class of the 1940s to the 1970s. The style is often associated with [[tract housing]] built at this time, particularly in the southwest United States, which experienced a population explosion during this period, with a corresponding demand for housing. The style was soon exported to other nations and became popular worldwide. However, its popularity waned in the late 20th century as [[neo-eclectic]] house styles featuring historical and traditional decoration, became more popular.
First appearing as a residential style in the 1920s, the ranch was extremely popular with the [[Post–World War II economic expansion|booming post-war]] middle class of the 1940s to the 1970s. The style is often associated with [[tract housing]] built at this time, particularly in the southwest United States, which experienced a population explosion during this period, with a corresponding demand for housing. The style was soon exported to other nations and became popular worldwide. Its popularity waned in the late twentieth century as [[Neo-eclectic architecture|neo-eclectic house styles]] featuring historical and traditional decoration became more popular.


Preservationist movements have begun in some ranch house neighborhoods, reinforced by an interest in the style from a younger generation which did not grow up in such homes. This revival has been compared to that which other house styles such as the [[bungalow]] and [[Queen Anne style architecture in the United States|Queen Anne]] experienced in the 20th century.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/29/AR2006122900624.html | work=The Washington Post | title=The Ranch, an Architectural Archetype Forged on the Frontier | first=Katherine | last=Salant | date=2006-12-30 | accessdate=2010-05-22}}</ref>
Preservationist movements have begun in some ranch house neighborhoods, reinforced by an interest in the style from a younger generation who did not grow up in such homes. This revival has been compared to that which other house styles such as the [[bungalow]] and [[Queen Anne style architecture in the United States|Queen Anne]] experienced in the twentieth century.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/29/AR2006122900624.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | title=The Ranch, an Architectural Archetype Forged on the Frontier | first=Katherine | last=Salant | author-link = Katherine Salant|date=December 30, 2006 | access-date=May 22, 2010}}</ref>

⚫
==History and development==
⚫
The 20th-century ranch house style has its roots in [[Spanish Colonial style|Spanish colonial architecture]] of the 17th to 19th century. These buildings used single-story floor plans and native materials in a simple style to meet the needs of their inhabitants. Walls were often built of adobe brick and covered with plaster, or more simply used [[board and batten]] wood siding. Roofs were low and simple, and usually had wide [[eaves]] to help shade the windows from the Southwestern heat. Buildings often had interior courtyards which were surrounded by a U-shaped floor plan. Large front porches were also common.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/publications/bulletins/suburbs/part3.htm|title=Nrb Suburbs Part 3: Historic Residential Suburbs: Guidelines for Evaluation and Documentation for the National Register of Historic Places<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref> These low slung, thick-walled, rustic working ranches were common in what would become the [[American Southwest|southwestern United States]].

⚫
===Era of popularity===
⚫
[[File:1950s Ranch-style House California.jpg|thumb|1950s ranch house with dovecote]]
⚫
By the 1950s, the California ranch house, by now often called simply the ranch house or "rambler house", accounted for nine out of every ten new houses.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://slate.com/culture/2007/04/how-america-fell-in-and-out-of-love-with-the-ranch-house.html|title=How America fell in and out of love with the ranch house.|first=Witold|last=Rybczynski|date=April 17, 2007|website=Slate Magazine}}</ref> The seemingly endless ability of the style to accommodate the individual needs of the owner/occupant, combined with the very modern inclusion of the latest in building developments and simplicity of the design, satisfied the needs of the time. Ranch houses were built throughout America and were often given regional facelifts to suit regional tastes. The "Colonial Ranch" of the Midwest is one such noted variant, adding American Colonial features to the facade of the California ranch house. Ranch houses of the 1940s and 1950s are typically more deliberately themed in nature than those of the 1960s and 1970s, with features such as [[dovecote]]s, Swiss board edging on trim, and generally western and even fantasy trim styling. From the mid-1960s onward, the ranch house echoed the national trend towards sleekness in design, with the homes becoming even simpler and more generic as this trend continued.{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}


==Features==
==Features==
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2019}}
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2019}}
{{original research|section}}[[File:Wideeaves.JPG|thumb|Wide eaves of a typical ranch house, this one built in 1966 in California]]
{{original research|section|date=October 2020}}[[File:Wideeaves.JPG|thumb|Wide eaves of a typical ranch house, this one built in 1966 in California]]


Prominent features are of the original ranch house style include:
Prominent features are of the original ranch house style include:
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* Cross-gabled, side-gabled or [[hip roof]]
* Cross-gabled, side-gabled or [[hip roof]]


===Expensive to build with add-ons===
⚫
=== Variations ===
Constructing a one-story ranch-style house requires a larger space and significant formwork, including foundation, roofing, windows, and various materials. In contrast, a two-story ranch home will save space, allowing for more square feet of living space on the same footprint.
[[File:Splitlevelranchhouse.JPG|thumb|1970s raised ranch]]

⚫
==Variations==
[[File:Ranchsupermarket.JPG|thumb|Former supermarket in ranch style]]
[[File:Ranchsupermarket.JPG|thumb|Former supermarket in ranch style]]
Variants include the California Ranch, Suburban Ranch, Split-Level Ranch, [[Raised Ranch]] and Storybook Ranch.


===Two-story versions===
===Two-story versions===
The ''raised ranch'' is a two-story house in which a finished basement serves as an additional floor. It may be built into a hill to utilize the terrain or minimize its appearance. For a house to be classified by realtors as a raised ranch, there must be a flight of steps to get to the main living floor-which distinguishes it from a [[Split-level home|split-level]].
The ''[[raised ranch]]'' is a two-story house in which a finished basement serves as an additional floor. It may be built into a slope to utilize the terrain or minimize its profile. For a house to be classified by realtors as a raised ranch, there must be a flight of steps to get to the main living floor – which distinguishes it from a [[Split-level home|split-level house]].


===Commercial versions===
===Commercial versions===
⚫
The ranch house style was adapted for commercial use during the time of the style's popularity. As the concept of a "drive-in" shopping center was being created and popularized, the ranch style was a perfect style to fit into the large tracts of ranch homes being built. Commercial ranch buildings, such as supermarkets and strip malls, typically follow the residential style with simple rustic trim, stucco or board and batten siding, exposed brick and shake roofs, and large windows.

⚫
The ranch house style was adapted for commercial use during the time of the style's popularity. As the concept of a "drive in" shopping center was being created and popularized, the ranch style was a perfect style to fit into the large tracts of ranch homes being built. Commercial ranch buildings, such as supermarkets and strip malls, typically follow the residential style with simple rustic trim, stucco or board and batten siding, exposed brick and shake roofs, and large windows.

⚫
==History and development==
⚫
The 20th-century ranch house style has its roots in North American [[Spanish Colonial style|Spanish colonial architecture]] of the 17th to 19th century. These buildings used single-story floor plans and native materials in a simple style to meet the needs of their inhabitants. Walls were often built of adobe brick and covered with plaster, or more simply used board and batten wood siding. Roofs were low and simple, and usually had wide eaves to help shade the windows from the Southwestern heat. Buildings often had interior courtyards which were surrounded by a U shaped floor plan. Large front porches were also common.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/publications/bulletins/suburbs/part3.htm|title=Nrb Suburbs Part 3: Historic Residential Suburbs: Guidelines for Evaluation and Documentation for the National Register of Historic Places<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref> These low slung, thick-walled, rustic working ranches were common in what would become the [[American Southwest|southwestern United States]].

⚫
===Era of popularity===
⚫
[[File:1950s Ranch-style House California.jpg|thumb|1950s ranch house with dovecote]]
⚫
By the 1950s, the California ranch house, by now often called simply the ranch house or "rambler house", accounted for nine out of every ten new houses.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://slate.com/culture/2007/04/how-america-fell-in-and-out-of-love-with-the-ranch-house.html|title=How America fell in and out of love with the ranch house.|first=Witold|last=Rybczynski|date=April 17, 2007|website=Slate Magazine}}</ref> The seemingly endless ability of the style to accommodate the individual needs of the owner/occupant, combined with the very modern inclusion of the latest in building developments and simplicity of the design, satisfied the needs of the time. Ranch houses were built throughout America and were often given regional facelifts to suit regional tastes. The "Colonial Ranch" of the Midwest and Northeast is one such noted variant, adding American Colonial features to the facade of the California ranch house. {{cns|date=August 2019|text=Ranch houses of the 1940s and 1950s are typically more deliberately themed in nature than those of the 1960s and 1970s, with features such as [[dovecote]]s, Swiss board edging on trim, and generally western and even fantasy trim styling. From the mid-1960s onward, the ranch house echoed the national trend towards sleekness in design, with the homes becoming even simpler and more generic as this trend continued.}}


===Decline===
===Decline===
American tastes in architecture began to change in the late 1960s, a move away from [[Googie architecture|Googie]] and [[Modernism]] and ranch houses towards more formal and traditional styles. Builders of ranch houses also began to simplify and cheapen construction of the houses to cut costs, eventually reducing the style down to a very bland and uninteresting house, with little of the charm and drama of the early versions.<ref>[[:Image:SIMPLERANCH1.JPG]]</ref> By the late 1970s, the ranch house was no longer the house of choice, and had been eclipsed by the neo-eclectic styles of the late 20th century. Very late custom ranch houses of the later 1970s begin to exhibit features of the neo-eclectics, such as dramatically elevated rooflines, grand entryways, and traditional detailing. These neo-eclectic houses typically continue many of the lifestyle interior features of the ranch house, such as open floor plans, attached garages, eat-in kitchens, and built-in patios, though their exterior styling typically owes more to northern Europe or Italy or 18th and 19th century house styles than the ranch house. Neo-eclectic houses also have a significant level of formality in their design, both externally and internally, the exact opposite of the typical ranch-style house. Additionally, the increase in land prices has meant a corresponding increase in the number of two-story houses being built, and a shrinking of the size of the average lot; both trends inhibit the traditional ranch house style.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-hm-ranch20oct20,1,1806218.story |title=The once and future ranch |first=Scott |last=Timberg |date=October 20, 2005 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> Ranch style houses are occasionally still built today, but mainly in the Western states and, usually, as individual custom.
American tastes in architecture began to change in the late 1960s, a move away from [[Googie architecture|Googie]] and [[Modernism]] and ranch houses towards more formal and traditional styles. Builders of ranch houses also began to simplify and cheapen construction of the houses to cut costs, eventually reducing the style down to a very bland and uninteresting house, with little of the charm and drama of the early versions.<ref>[[:Image:SIMPLERANCH1.JPG]]</ref> By the late 1970s, the ranch house was no longer the house of choice, and had been eclipsed by the [[Neo-eclectic architecture|neo-eclectic styles]] of the late 20th century. Very late custom ranch houses of the later 1970s begin to exhibit features of the neo-eclectics, such as dramatically elevated rooflines, grand entryways, and traditional detailing. These neo-eclectic houses typically continue many of the lifestyle interior features of the ranch house, such as open floor plans, attached garages, eat-in kitchens, and built-in patios, though their exterior styling typically owes more to northern Europe or Italy or 18th and 19th century house styles than the ranch house. Neo-eclectic houses also have a significant level of formality in their design, both externally and internally, the exact opposite of the typical ranch-style house. Additionally, the increase in land prices has meant a corresponding increase in the number of two-story houses being built, and a shrinking of the size of the average lot; both trends inhibit the traditional ranch house style.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-hm-ranch20oct20,1,1806218.story |title=The once and future ranch |first=Scott |last=Timberg |date=October 20, 2005 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> Ranch style houses are occasionally still built today, but mainly in the Western states and, usually, as individual custom.


===Revival of interest===
===Revival of interest===
⚫
Beginning in the late 1990s, a revival of interest in the ranch style house occurred in United States. The renewed interest in the design is mainly focused on existing houses and neighborhoods, not new construction. Younger house buyers find that ranch houses are affordable entry level homes in many markets, and the single story living of the house attracts older buyers looking for a house they can navigate easily as they age. The houses' uniquely American heritage, being an indigenous design, has furthered interest as well.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> The houses' simplicity and unpretentious nature, in marked contrast to the more dramatic and formal nature of neo-eclectic houses, makes them appealing for some buyers. The more distinctive ranch houses, such as modernist Palmer and [[William Krisel|Krisel]], [[Joseph Eichler]] and [[Cliff May]] designs, as well as custom houses with a full complement of the style's features, are in particular demand in many markets. Many ranch-style neighborhoods are now well-established, with large trees, and the houses often have owner modifications that add individual character to the fairly uniform style. As these houses were mostly built between 1945 and 1970, they have modern infrastructure and their heating/cooling systems, wiring, plumbing, windows, doors, and other systems can all be easily repaired and upgraded.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}


⚫
Small-scale tract building of ranch houses ended in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Those still built today have usually been individual custom houses. One exception is a tract of ranch-style houses built on and adjacent to Butte Court in Shafter, California, in 2007/08. These houses borrowed their style cues from the 1950s Western-styled ranch houses, with board and batten siding, dovecotes, large eaves, and extensive porches. Notably, all houses in this tract were on 1/4-acre lots, and had their front garages turned sideways so that the garage doors were not dominating the front of the house.
⚫
Beginning in the late 1990s, a revival of interest in the ranch style house occurred in United States. The renewed interest in the design is mainly focused on existing houses and neighborhoods, not new construction. Younger house buyers find that ranch houses are affordable entry level homes in many markets, and the single story living of the house attracts older buyers looking for a house they can navigate easily as they age. The houses' uniquely American heritage, being an indigenous design, has furthered interest as well.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> The houses' simplicity and unpretentious nature, in marked contrast to the more dramatic and formal nature of neo-eclectic houses, makes them appealing for some buyers. The more distinctive ranch houses, such as modernist Palmer and Krisel, [[Joseph Eichler]] and [[Cliff May]] designs, as well as custom houses with a full complement of the style's features, are in particular demand in many markets. Many neighborhoods featuring ranch-style houses are now well-established, with large trees and often with owner modifications that give these sometimes repetitive styles individual character. As these houses were mainly built in the time frame of 1945 to 1970, they are modern in their infrastructure; their heating/cooling systems, wiring, plumbing, windows, doors, and other systems can all be easily repaired and upgraded.{{cn|date=March 2020}}


⚫
''[[Breaking Bad]]'' creator [[Vince Gilligan]] specified that [[Walter White (Breaking Bad)|Walter White]]'s house in the television series be a Rancher. In an early draft of the script for the series' [[Pilot (Breaking Bad)|pilot episode]], he described the house as "a three-bedroom RANCHER in a modest neighborhood. Weekend trips to Home Depot keep it looking tidy, but it'll never make the cover of '[[Architectural Digest]]'."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://filmschoolrejects.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Screenplay-Breaking_Bad-Pilot.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=filmschoolrejects.com |access-date=March 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711144755/https://filmschoolrejects.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Screenplay-Breaking_Bad-Pilot.pdf |archive-date=July 11, 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The real house used to film exteriors in the series is located in [[Northeast Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]], and was originally built in 1972.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/3828-Piermont-Dr-NE_Albuquerque_NM_87111_M29013-24533|title=3828 Piermont Dr Ne, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111 - realtor.com®|website=realtor.com®}}</ref> It has since become a popular tourist attraction.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/breaking-bad-house/|title='Breaking Bad' Bummer: Why You'd Hate Owning Walter White's House|date=October 12, 2017|website=Real Estate News and Advice &#124; Realtor.com®}}</ref>
⚫
Small-scale tract building of ranch houses ended in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Those still built today have usually been individual custom houses. One known exception is a tract of ranch-style houses briefly built on Butte Court in Shafter, California in 2007/08. These houses borrowed their style cues from the 1950s Western styled ranch houses, with board and batten siding, dovecotes, large eaves, and extensive porches. Notably, all houses in this tract were on 1/4-acre lots, and had their front garages turned sideways so that the garage doors were not dominating the front of the house.


⚫
==Gallery==
⚫
''[[Breaking Bad]]'' creator [[Vince Gilligan]] specified that [[Walter White (Breaking Bad)|Walter White]]'s house in the television series be a Rancher. Writing for a spec script for the [[Pilot (Breaking Bad)|Pilot episode]] he said: "This is a three-bedroom RANCHER in a modest neighborhood. Weekend trips to Home Depot keep it looking tidy, but it'll never make the cover of "Architectural Digest."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180711144755/https://filmschoolrejects.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Screenplay-Breaking_Bad-Pilot.pdf]</ref> The real house used to film exteriors in the series is located in [[Northeast Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]] and was originally built in 1972.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/3828-Piermont-Dr-NE_Albuquerque_NM_87111_M29013-24533|title=3828 Piermont Dr Ne, Albuquerque, NM 87111 - realtor.com®|website=realtor.com®}}</ref> It has since become a popular tourist attraction.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/breaking-bad-house/|title='Breaking Bad' Bummer: Why You'd Hate Owning Walter White's House|date=October 12, 2017|website=Real Estate News and Advice &#124; Realtor.com®}}</ref>

⚫
==Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed">
<gallery mode="packed">
Image:NEWRANCHTRACT.JPG| Houses under construction
Image:NEWRANCHTRACT.JPG| Houses under construction in Butte Court, Shafter, California
Image:NEWRANCHWHITE.JPG| One of the model houses
Image:NEWRANCHWHITE.JPG| Ranch-style house in Shafter, California
Image:NEWRANCHYELLOW.JPG| Another of the model houses, unidentified location
Image:NEWRANCHYELLOW.JPG| Ranch-style house in Shafter, California
Image:neo-eclectic_ranch_revival_design.png| Modern revival Ranch-style house design featuring [[Neo-eclectic architecture]] elements in [[Denver, Colorado]]
Image:neo-eclectic_ranch_revival_design.png| Modern revival Ranch-style house design featuring [[Neo-eclectic architecture]] elements in [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]], Colorado
File:Block Card 10 Carol Lane - DPLA - 451f54f6f227aa823eecf35c84cf03b8.jpg|Traditional ranch-style house in [[Toledo, Ohio|Toledo]], Ohio, in about 1965
</gallery>
</gallery>


==See also==
==See also==
<!--do not include any terms already appearing-->
* [[Split level home]]s
* [[Cliff May]]
* [[Splanch]]
* [[William Krisel]]
* [[Edward H. Fickett]]
* [[Edward H. Fickett]]
* [[American Craftsman]]
* [[American Craftsman]]
* [[Minimal Traditional]]
* [[Minimal Traditional]]
* [[Mission Revival Style architecture]]
* [[Mission Revival Style architecture]]
* [[Bungalow]]
* [[Mar del Plata style]]
* [[Mar del Plata style]]


Line 79: Line 81:


==Further reading==
==Further reading==
⚫
* {{cite journal|title=The Ranch-style House in America: A Cultural and Environmental Discourse|volume=49|issue=3|date=February 1996|pages=156–165|author=Allen, B. L.|journal=Journal of Architectural Education|doi=10.1080/10464883.1996.10734678 }}

* {{cite thesis |author=Bricker, David|title=Built For Sale: Cliff May and the Low Cost California Ranch House|type=M.A. thesis|publisher=University of California, Santa Barbara|year=1983|oclc=12187474}}
⚫
* {{cite journal|title=The Ranch-style House in America: A Cultural and Environmental Discourse|volume=49|issue=3|date=February 1996|pages=156–165|author=Allen, B. L.|journal=Journal of Architectural Education}}
* {{cite journal |author=Bricker, David|title=Built For Sale: Cliff May and the Low Cost California Ranch House|version=M.A. thesis|publisher=University of California, Santa Barbara|year=1983|url= |format=|accessdate= }}
* {{cite journal|author=Bricker, David|publisher=National Park Service Cultural Resources|title=Ranch Houses Are Not All the Same|url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/publications/bulletins/suburbs/Bricker.pdf}}
⚫
* {{cite thesis |author=Clouser, Roger A.|title=The Ranch House in America|type=Ph.D. dissertation|publisher=University of Kansas|year=1984|oclc=753784439}}
* {{cite journal|author=Bricker, David|publisher=National Park Service Cultural Resources|title=Ranch Houses Are Not All the Same|format=PDF|url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/publications/bulletins/suburbs/Bricker.pdf}}
⚫
* {{cite journal |author=Clouser, Roger A.|title=The Ranch House in America|version=Ph.D. dissertation|publisher=University of Kansas|year=1984|url= |format=|accessdate= }}
* Gregory, Daniel P., (2008) ''Cliff May and the Modern Ranch House,'' New York, Rizzoli, {{ISBN|978-0-8478-3047-3}}
* Gregory, Daniel P., (2008) ''Cliff May and the Modern Ranch House,'' New York, Rizzoli, {{ISBN|978-0-8478-3047-3}}
* {{cite book|author=Hess, Alan|title=The Ranch House|year=2005|publisher=Harry N. Abrams|isbn=0-8109-4346-8|location=New York}}
* {{cite book|author=Hess, Alan|title=The Ranch House|year=2005|publisher=Harry N. Abrams|isbn=0-8109-4346-8|location=New York}}
Line 89: Line 90:
* {{cite book|author=May, Cliff|title=Western Ranch Houses|location=Santa Monica|publisher=Hennessey & Ingalls|year=1958}}
* {{cite book|author=May, Cliff|title=Western Ranch Houses|location=Santa Monica|publisher=Hennessey & Ingalls|year=1958}}
* {{cite book|author=McAlester, Virginia & Lee|title=A Field Guide to American Houses|url=https://archive.org/details/fieldguidetoamer00mcal|url-access=registration|year=1997|publisher=Knopf|pages=[https://archive.org/details/fieldguidetoamer00mcal/page/479 479–480]|isbn=0-394-73969-8|location=New York}}
* {{cite book|author=McAlester, Virginia & Lee|title=A Field Guide to American Houses|url=https://archive.org/details/fieldguidetoamer00mcal|url-access=registration|year=1997|publisher=Knopf|pages=[https://archive.org/details/fieldguidetoamer00mcal/page/479 479–480]|isbn=0-394-73969-8|location=New York}}
* {{cite book|author1=McCoy, Esther |author2=Evelyn Hitchcock |lastauthoramp=yes |title=Home Sweet Home|url=https://archive.org/details/homesweethomeame00moor |url-access=registration |chapter=The Ranch House|editor=Moore, Charles W.|publisher=Rizzoli|year=1983|pages=[https://archive.org/details/homesweethomeame00moor/page/84 84–89]|display-editors=etal}}
* {{cite book|author1=McCoy, Esther |author2=Evelyn Hitchcock |name-list-style=amp |title=Home Sweet Home|url=https://archive.org/details/homesweethomeame00moor |url-access=registration |chapter=The Ranch House|editor=Moore, Charles W.|publisher=Rizzoli|year=1983|pages=[https://archive.org/details/homesweethomeame00moor/page/84 84–89]|isbn=9780847805204 |display-editors=etal}}
* {{cite journal|journal=Design Methods and Theories|author=Peterson, Gary G.|year=1989|title=Home Off the Range: The Origins and Evolution of Ranch Style Architecture in the United States|pages=1040–59|volume=23|issue=3}}
* {{cite journal|journal=Design Methods and Theories|author=Peterson, Gary G.|year=1989|title=Home Off the Range: The Origins and Evolution of Ranch Style Architecture in the United States|pages=1040–59|volume=23|issue=3}}
* {{cite journal|author=Sullivan, Patrick, Reed, Mary Beth and Fedor, Tracey (2010)|publisher=New South Associates|title=The Ranch House in Georgia: Guidelines for Evaluation|format=PDF|url=http://georgiashpo.org/sites/uploads/hpd/pdf/Ranch_House_Evaluation_revSept2010.pdf}}
* {{cite journal|author=Sullivan, Patrick, Reed, Mary Beth and Fedor, Tracey (2010)|publisher=New South Associates|title=The Ranch House in Georgia: Guidelines for Evaluation|url=http://georgiashpo.org/sites/uploads/hpd/pdf/Ranch_House_Evaluation_revSept2010.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810122947/http://georgiashpo.org/sites/uploads/hpd/pdf/Ranch_House_Evaluation_revSept2010.pdf|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 10, 2014}}
* Samon, Katherine Ann (2003). ''Ranch House Style.'' New York: Clarkson Potter. {{ISBN|0-609-60628-X}}.
* Samon, Katherine Ann (2003). ''Ranch House Style.'' New York: Clarkson Potter. {{ISBN|0-609-60628-X}}.


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Ranch-style architecture}}
{{Commons category|Ranch-style houses}}
* [http://atomic-ranch.com Atomic Ranch Magazine]
* [http://atomic-ranch.com Atomic Ranch Magazine]
* [http://www.slate.com/id/2163970?nav=ais How America fell in and out of love with the ranch house]
* [http://www.slate.com/id/2163970?nav=ais How America fell in and out of love with the ranch house]
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{{Architecture in the United States}}
{{Architecture in the United States}}
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{{portal bar|Architecture|Housing}}
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[[Category:House types]]
[[Category:House types]]

Latest revision as of 18:20, 27 November 2024

Large custom ranch house built in 1966 in Bakersfield, California. This house exhibits most of the features of the style, such as long low profile and large windows.
Smaller ranch-style house in West Jordan, Utah, with brick exterior and side drop gable roof

Ranch (also known as American ranch, California ranch, rambler, or rancher) is a domestic architectural style that originated in the United States. The ranch-style house is noted for its long, close-to-the-ground profile, and wide open layout. The style fused modernist ideas and styles with notions of the American Western period of wide open spaces to create a very informal and casual living style. While the original ranch style was informal and basic in design, ranch-style houses built in the United States (particularly in the Sun Belt region) from around the early 1960s increasingly had more dramatic features such as varying roof lines, cathedral ceilings, sunken living rooms, and extensive landscaping and grounds.

First appearing as a residential style in the 1920s, the ranch was extremely popular with the booming post-war middle class of the 1940s to the 1970s. The style is often associated with tract housing built at this time, particularly in the southwest United States, which experienced a population explosion during this period, with a corresponding demand for housing. The style was soon exported to other nations and became popular worldwide. Its popularity waned in the late twentieth century as neo-eclectic house styles featuring historical and traditional decoration became more popular.

Preservationist movements have begun in some ranch house neighborhoods, reinforced by an interest in the style from a younger generation who did not grow up in such homes. This revival has been compared to that which other house styles such as the bungalow and Queen Anne experienced in the twentieth century.[1]

History and development

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The 20th-century ranch house style has its roots in Spanish colonial architecture of the 17th to 19th century. These buildings used single-story floor plans and native materials in a simple style to meet the needs of their inhabitants. Walls were often built of adobe brick and covered with plaster, or more simply used board and batten wood siding. Roofs were low and simple, and usually had wide eaves to help shade the windows from the Southwestern heat. Buildings often had interior courtyards which were surrounded by a U-shaped floor plan. Large front porches were also common.[2] These low slung, thick-walled, rustic working ranches were common in what would become the southwestern United States.

Era of popularity

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1950s ranch house with dovecote

By the 1950s, the California ranch house, by now often called simply the ranch house or "rambler house", accounted for nine out of every ten new houses.[3] The seemingly endless ability of the style to accommodate the individual needs of the owner/occupant, combined with the very modern inclusion of the latest in building developments and simplicity of the design, satisfied the needs of the time. Ranch houses were built throughout America and were often given regional facelifts to suit regional tastes. The "Colonial Ranch" of the Midwest is one such noted variant, adding American Colonial features to the facade of the California ranch house. Ranch houses of the 1940s and 1950s are typically more deliberately themed in nature than those of the 1960s and 1970s, with features such as dovecotes, Swiss board edging on trim, and generally western and even fantasy trim styling. From the mid-1960s onward, the ranch house echoed the national trend towards sleekness in design, with the homes becoming even simpler and more generic as this trend continued.[citation needed]

Features

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Wide eaves of a typical ranch house, this one built in 1966 in California

Prominent features are of the original ranch house style include:

  • Single story
  • Long, low-pitch roofline
  • Asymmetrical rectangular, L-shaped, or U-shaped design
  • Simple, open floor plans
  • Living areas separate from the bedroom(s) area
  • Attached garage
  • Sliding glass doors opening onto a patio
  • Windows with a large glass area, sometimes decorated with non-functional shutters
  • Vaulted ceilings with exposed beams often in combination with tongue and groove roof decking
  • Mixed material exteriors of stucco and brick, wood or stone
  • Deep overhanging eaves
  • Cross-gabled, side-gabled or hip roof

Expensive to build with add-ons

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Constructing a one-story ranch-style house requires a larger space and significant formwork, including foundation, roofing, windows, and various materials. In contrast, a two-story ranch home will save space, allowing for more square feet of living space on the same footprint.

Variations

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Former supermarket in ranch style

Variants include the California Ranch, Suburban Ranch, Split-Level Ranch, Raised Ranch and Storybook Ranch.

Two-story versions

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The raised ranch is a two-story house in which a finished basement serves as an additional floor. It may be built into a slope to utilize the terrain or minimize its profile. For a house to be classified by realtors as a raised ranch, there must be a flight of steps to get to the main living floor – which distinguishes it from a split-level house.

Commercial versions

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The ranch house style was adapted for commercial use during the time of the style's popularity. As the concept of a "drive-in" shopping center was being created and popularized, the ranch style was a perfect style to fit into the large tracts of ranch homes being built. Commercial ranch buildings, such as supermarkets and strip malls, typically follow the residential style with simple rustic trim, stucco or board and batten siding, exposed brick and shake roofs, and large windows.

Decline

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American tastes in architecture began to change in the late 1960s, a move away from Googie and Modernism and ranch houses towards more formal and traditional styles. Builders of ranch houses also began to simplify and cheapen construction of the houses to cut costs, eventually reducing the style down to a very bland and uninteresting house, with little of the charm and drama of the early versions.[4] By the late 1970s, the ranch house was no longer the house of choice, and had been eclipsed by the neo-eclectic styles of the late 20th century. Very late custom ranch houses of the later 1970s begin to exhibit features of the neo-eclectics, such as dramatically elevated rooflines, grand entryways, and traditional detailing. These neo-eclectic houses typically continue many of the lifestyle interior features of the ranch house, such as open floor plans, attached garages, eat-in kitchens, and built-in patios, though their exterior styling typically owes more to northern Europe or Italy or 18th and 19th century house styles than the ranch house. Neo-eclectic houses also have a significant level of formality in their design, both externally and internally, the exact opposite of the typical ranch-style house. Additionally, the increase in land prices has meant a corresponding increase in the number of two-story houses being built, and a shrinking of the size of the average lot; both trends inhibit the traditional ranch house style.[5] Ranch style houses are occasionally still built today, but mainly in the Western states and, usually, as individual custom.

Revival of interest

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Beginning in the late 1990s, a revival of interest in the ranch style house occurred in United States. The renewed interest in the design is mainly focused on existing houses and neighborhoods, not new construction. Younger house buyers find that ranch houses are affordable entry level homes in many markets, and the single story living of the house attracts older buyers looking for a house they can navigate easily as they age. The houses' uniquely American heritage, being an indigenous design, has furthered interest as well.[1] The houses' simplicity and unpretentious nature, in marked contrast to the more dramatic and formal nature of neo-eclectic houses, makes them appealing for some buyers. The more distinctive ranch houses, such as modernist Palmer and Krisel, Joseph Eichler and Cliff May designs, as well as custom houses with a full complement of the style's features, are in particular demand in many markets. Many ranch-style neighborhoods are now well-established, with large trees, and the houses often have owner modifications that add individual character to the fairly uniform style. As these houses were mostly built between 1945 and 1970, they have modern infrastructure and their heating/cooling systems, wiring, plumbing, windows, doors, and other systems can all be easily repaired and upgraded.[citation needed]

Small-scale tract building of ranch houses ended in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Those still built today have usually been individual custom houses. One exception is a tract of ranch-style houses built on and adjacent to Butte Court in Shafter, California, in 2007/08. These houses borrowed their style cues from the 1950s Western-styled ranch houses, with board and batten siding, dovecotes, large eaves, and extensive porches. Notably, all houses in this tract were on 1/4-acre lots, and had their front garages turned sideways so that the garage doors were not dominating the front of the house.

Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan specified that Walter White's house in the television series be a Rancher. In an early draft of the script for the series' pilot episode, he described the house as "a three-bedroom RANCHER in a modest neighborhood. Weekend trips to Home Depot keep it looking tidy, but it'll never make the cover of 'Architectural Digest'."[6] The real house used to film exteriors in the series is located in Northeast Albuquerque, New Mexico, and was originally built in 1972.[7] It has since become a popular tourist attraction.[8]

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  • Houses under construction in Butte Court, Shafter, California
    Houses under construction in Butte Court, Shafter, California
  • Ranch-style house in Shafter, California
    Ranch-style house in Shafter, California
  • Ranch-style house in Shafter, California
    Ranch-style house in Shafter, California
  • Modern revival Ranch-style house design featuring Neo-eclectic architecture elements in Denver, Colorado
    Modern revival Ranch-style house design featuring Neo-eclectic architecture elements in Denver, Colorado
  • Traditional ranch-style house in Toledo, Ohio, in about 1965
    Traditional ranch-style house in Toledo, Ohio, in about 1965

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Salant, Katherine (December 30, 2006). "The Ranch, an Architectural Archetype Forged on the Frontier". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  2. ^ "Nrb Suburbs Part 3: Historic Residential Suburbs: Guidelines for Evaluation and Documentation for the National Register of Historic Places".
  3. ^ Rybczynski, Witold (April 17, 2007). "How America fell in and out of love with the ranch house". Slate Magazine.
  4. ^ Image:SIMPLERANCH1.JPG
  5. ^ Timberg, Scott (October 20, 2005). "The once and future ranch". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). filmschoolrejects.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 11, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ^ "3828 Piermont Dr Ne, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111 - realtor.com®". realtor.com®.
  8. ^ "'Breaking Bad' Bummer: Why You'd Hate Owning Walter White's House". Real Estate News and Advice | Realtor.com®. October 12, 2017.

Further reading

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  • Allen, B. L. (February 1996). "The Ranch-style House in America: A Cultural and Environmental Discourse". Journal of Architectural Education. 49 (3): 156–165. doi:10.1080/10464883.1996.10734678.
  • Bricker, David (1983). Built For Sale: Cliff May and the Low Cost California Ranch House (M.A. thesis). University of California, Santa Barbara. OCLC 12187474.
  • Bricker, David. "Ranch Houses Are Not All the Same" (PDF). National Park Service Cultural Resources. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • Clouser, Roger A. (1984). The Ranch House in America (Ph.D. dissertation). University of Kansas. OCLC 753784439.
  • Gregory, Daniel P., (2008) Cliff May and the Modern Ranch House, New York, Rizzoli, ISBN 978-0-8478-3047-3
  • Hess, Alan (2005). The Ranch House. New York: Harry N. Abrams. ISBN 0-8109-4346-8.
  • Hunter, Christine (1999). Ranches, Rowhouses, and Railroad Flats-- American Homes: How They Shape Our Landscape and Neighborhoods. New York: W.W.Norton. ISBN 0-393-73186-3.
  • May, Cliff (1958). Western Ranch Houses. Santa Monica: Hennessey & Ingalls.
  • McAlester, Virginia & Lee (1997). A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Knopf. pp. 479–480. ISBN 0-394-73969-8.
  • McCoy, Esther & Evelyn Hitchcock (1983). "The Ranch House". In Moore, Charles W.; et al. (eds.). Home Sweet Home. Rizzoli. pp. 84–89. ISBN 9780847805204.
  • Peterson, Gary G. (1989). "Home Off the Range: The Origins and Evolution of Ranch Style Architecture in the United States". Design Methods and Theories. 23 (3): 1040–59.
  • Sullivan, Patrick, Reed, Mary Beth and Fedor, Tracey (2010). "The Ranch House in Georgia: Guidelines for Evaluation" (PDF). New South Associates. Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  • Samon, Katherine Ann (2003). Ranch House Style. New York: Clarkson Potter. ISBN 0-609-60628-X.
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House plans

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