Houses : Type Index (IHS Typology)

Evolution / Interconnection of House Type Families
Age and evolutionary level are indicated by colors. An example type for each is illustrated and listed.

Typology of Houses

Houses are classified into Types based on their floorplan and story height. Those types can be grouped into my suggestion of "Type Families" based on their basic form and how similar types are related. A quick list to the type families and key types below is detailed following:

Elemental - The basic building block - a single unit / room
Parallel - "Single-pile" - one-room deep and with mass parallel to the front
Perpendicular - One room wide, but extending away, perpendicular from front
Composite - Forms seemingly combined from other types

[Single-Pile] Composite - Combinations of one-room-deep parts

[Semi-Massed] Composite - Both Single-Pile and Massed parts of core and extensions

[Massed] Composite - Massed core with extensions

Additive - "Double-pile," rooms added (or subtracted) in hierachies

Four-Over-Four / The "Georgian Plan" - Equal-sized rooms added to create a rectangle

New England Plan - Full-sized rooms in front with half-sized rooms behind

Massed - "Double-pile," rooms massed in cubic or unique form in modern arrangement

Foursquares - Cubic form with 3, 4, or 6 major rooms per floor in a modern arrangement

Threequares - Smaller version with only three main rooms

Semi-Bungalow - Unique form with usually 3, 4, or 6 major rooms per floor in a modern arrangement

[Modern] - "Divided plan" of contemporary living

Bungalow / "California Bungalow" - Perpendicular one-story with a modern "Divided" floorplan

Ranch types - Parallel, with a modern "Divided" floorplan for one, split-level, and two stories

[Reductive] - Rooms conform to simple and unique forms

form vs. type (vs. style)

House form is a general label, describing the overall shape of the building.

House type is a specific species, identified by a combination of floorplan, form, and story height.

House style is the decorative elements of the building, which sometime include the type or form, but not always.

Type Family: Elemental

The basic building block - a single unit / room, varying only in story height

Hall-House / Single Pen - As basic as you can get: a single room

Stack House / One-Over-One - The next step (upward): one room atop another

"Father, Son & Holy Ghost" House (Foley 1980: 31) - Three stories

There are no other possibilities (except perhaps taller versions)

The elemental type could also fit into Parallel, Perpendicular, and Additive families as the original core - or final reduction - of their floorplan.

Type Family: Parallel

"Single-pile," one-room deep and with mass parallel to the front

One and 1.5 story versions: The "I-Cottage"

Double Pen - Two equal-sized rooms side-by-side

Triple Pen - Three equal-sized rooms side-by-side

The Hall & Parlor is classified in the [Reductive] Family because it is conceptually two rooms created from one, not one added to another

Two story versions: The "I-House" / Two-Over-Two

Double-Pen I-House / Two-Over-Two - Two equal-sized rooms side-by-side on both floors

Center Passage I-House / Classic I-House - center stair hall

2/3 Center Passage I-House / Side Hall I-House - a Center-Passage I-House with one side absent

Type Family: Perpendicular

One room wide, but extending away, perpendicular from front

One and 1.5 story

Shotgun ("Shotgun Cottage")

Two story

Upright type / "Shotgun House"

Type Family: Composite

Forms seemingly combined from other types or from multiple units/rooms

[Single-Pile] Composite

Ell-Plan - Sideways "L"-shaped form

Tee-Plan - Symmetrical "T"-shaped form (with both parts having equal story heights, in contrast with Upright & Wing)

Crossplan - Symmetrical or asymetrical Latin cross-shaped form, with crossbar parallel to front

Standard Crossplan - Symetrical with balanced cross-arms about halfway back

Abbreviated Crossplan - Asymetrical with one cross-arm short or absent

[Perpendicular] Crossplan - Aligned with long axis parallel to front

[Wide] Crossplan - Side Passage added to main axis, creating massed core

Upright & Wing - Symmetrical or asymetrical "T"-shaped form. Stem is parallel to front, but two parts have unequal story heights: crossbar is 1/2 or 1 story taller

[Semi-Massed] Composite

[Rambling Traditional] - Asymmetrical form derived from medieval and postmedieval mansions. 1, 1 1/2, 2, 2 1/2 story versions; often Tudor Revival styled

[Massed] Composite

[Palladian] - Symmetrical form derived from Renaissance mansions

[Composite] / "Queen Anne" type - massed block with various integral wings

"Princess Anne" type - Reduced "Queen Anne" form, with shorter wings

Type Family: Additive

"Double-pile," rooms added (or subtracted) in hierachies

Four-Over-Four / The "Georgian Plan"

1.5 story and 2.5 story heights of each variation

Four-Over-Four - four rooms with no center stair hall

Central-Passage Four-Over-Four / "Georgian" Plan - four rooms with center front-to-back stair hall

Two Cell or [Divided Hall] Central-Passage Four-Over-Four - center stair hall is separated into two rooms

High-style variations have additional stairs, halls, combined or divided rooms, and wings

2/3 Four-Over-Four / Double-Pile Side Passage - one rank of rooms removed

1/3 Four-Over-Four - reduced to only one rank of rooms

New England Plan

New England Plan - Center front entry with central massive hearth, large rooms on either side, and three smaller rooms behind.

Central Passage New England Plan / Modified New England Plan - center stair hall instead of a central massive chimney

Cape Cod / Central Passage New England Plan Cottage - center stair hall with 1.5 story height

The modern Revival Cape Cod belongs to the Modern family

Type Family: Massed

"Double-pile," rooms massed in cubic or unique form in modern arrangement

Foursquares

Standard Foursquare - Cubic form with usually four slightly unequal-sized rooms in a modern plan

"Threesquare" - Smaller version with only three main rooms

"Sixsquare" - Extended Foursquare with six rooms in a modern plan, usually necessitating a center hall with side stairhall

Semi-Bungalow / Dormer-Front Bungalow / Side-Gabled Bungalow

true Bungalow or "California Bungalow"

Semi-Bungalow / Dormer-Front Bungalow / Side-Gabled Bungalow - Usually a Foursquare or Threesquare floorplan in a tighter, unique form

Type Family: Modern

"Divided plan" of contemporary living

Revival Cape Cod

Bungalow ("California Bungalow")

Semi-Bungalow

Ranch types

Standard Ranch - Typical 3-bedroom

Tri-Level (or Split Level) - Three levels intersecting at mid-level

[Ranch Two Story] - Essentially a two-story Ranch

Bi-Level or Split Entry (or Split Level) - A two-story Ranch with its entry midway between the two stories

Type Family: [Reductive]

Rooms conform to simple and unique form, usually rectangular or close to rectangular

Hall & Parlor - Simple and small, with only a half-room formed beside a full room

Continental Plan - Germanic type with asymetrical three-room plan in squarish form

Grenier House - French type with distinctive incised porch under side-gabled roof, usually with porch stairway to loft

Hen & Chicks type and Basilica type - Novel 19thC American type looking like small, simplified namesakes

Octagon form - Eight-sided form

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