general

definition of bungalow

The word bungalow has a curious origin, as there is a belief that it comes from the English language but in reality it is not, since it is a word from the Guajartí or Bangalo language, the language that is spoken in northern India, specifically in Bengal. In this way, the typical houses of this territory are known as bungales and due to British domination the term was modified and these houses ended up being called bungalows from the 19th century.

The bungales of India were originally small houses similar to sheds, but the wealthy British transformed them into their holiday homes. These new buildings were usually located in areas at some distance from urban centers.

The fundamental idea of ​​a bungalow

The entire inhabited area of ​​a bungalow is in the same plane and with several habitable spaces, so there are no stairs or any other architectural barrier inside. However, some bungalows have a second floor for bedrooms. In general, these houses have roofs with some kind of inclination and have large windows in their structure.

Its design is based on a rectangular plan and in most cases these houses do not have corridors, something that facilitates movement within the home itself. On the outside they have a porch that serves as a terrace. They are usually small houses built in wood or traditional materials and are surrounded by a garden area.

Different ways of understanding a bungalow

There is no single model to understand this type of construction. Thus, bungalows are very popular constructions in the United States and in some way symbolize the American dream (independent houses in which you have a certain privacy as they are located outside the urban nucleus).

In Spain, bungalows are built in tourist areas and are intended for rent for middle-class tourists (some campsites have small wooden bungalows and their rental is very cheap). The vacation bungalow also exists in countries such as Argentina, Venezuela or Mexico and they are known as cabin hotels.

Other types of houses

The bungalow reminds us that there are many types of houses and each of them has some uniqueness. There are very modest houses, such as the hut, the barrack or the apartment. Others symbolize greater purchasing power (the chalet, the chateau or the mansion). The types of houses can be classified according to different parameters: by the construction materials, according to their purpose or depending on the architectural style.

Photos: iStock - tora1983 / FotoMaximum

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