DON’T…This one is a tidy little set of thou-shalt-nots: Don’t use incompatible siding, don’t change the street rhythm, don’t create windowless walls, don’t bring down property values.DO…respect the streetscape. Better add-ons: a step-back second storey at the rear, additional dormers at sides and back, or a rear addition not visible from the street.
Chicagoland’s sturdy brick bungalows are famous for their individual features as well as for the charming, congruous neighborhoods where they appear. Built on small lots in large development tracts, the Chicago Bungalow is found in post-fire urban and suburban areas. The unique house type marries the intimate scale of a California Bungalow with modern Prairie School touches—like horizontal window bands, cement ornament, and geometric leaded glass.
Chicago Bungalows are under siege by a new generation of design-challenged Seekers of More Space. Remodelers strip off the attic and roof to add a full second storey that overwhelms the house. Off-the-shelf windows and inferior materials ruin the architecture and promise a very short life. “Stop the Pop” is the local campaign slogan and hashtag. See more horror at chicagobungalow.org.
