Ranch Architecture
Ranch Architecture History & Phoenix Roots
Also known as American Ranch, California Ranch, rancher and rambler (1920s-1970s) — Ranch style homes were highly favored during the post-war period. They offered affordability and more modernist designs than other residences. They also embraced ideologies of the American west, resulting in homes with a casual simplicity and wide open spaces. Following World War II, tract housing began to crop up in American suburbs and Ranch architecture was utilized in many cases. Tract housing is a type of development on a large tract of land that is subdivided into smaller lots with similar or identical houses. These were popular options among middle-class families who were looking for budget-friendly homes.
The Ranch style is inspired by Spanish Colonial architecture from the 17th to 19th century. They both often have one level and thick walls made of plaster or stucco covered brick.
Ranch homes became extremely popular in the southwest following World War I and World War II. Government programs stimulated the housing industry, aiding both home builders and home buyers.
Into the modern 1940s, Ranch style home evolved into the modern Transitional Ranch style. This style of house spread through the suburbs from the 1940s to the 1970s. Track housing in this style made it cheaper and faster to build homes, which was beneficial as the population boomed in Phoenix and other areas of the southwest.
The Ranch style home was carried into the future by the beloved architect Ralph Haver, who work can be mostly be found in Phoenix and the Southwest region. His famous Town and Home model, with it's sloping roofs, mortar brick, floor to ceiling windows, block walls, and unique patios are highly coveted. His work began in the 1940's and ended in the late 1980's. With the end of his work, the Ranch style home era appears to be over, but Ranch-style building saw new interest in the late 1990s as younger buyers were looking for affordable entry-level homes.
