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House

language culture Maturity 11-13 Next article →

A house is a single-unit residential building used for shelter.

Modèles de maisons de l'Égypte ancienne
Modèles de maisons de l'Égypte ancienne

These structures range from simple, rudimentary huts to highly complex buildings. Modern houses often use wood, masonry, or concrete to form their structures. They frequently include advanced systems like plumbing, electricity, and climate control. These systems include heating, ventilation, and air conditioning to maintain comfort. A roof is a vital component used to block precipitation like rain.

HouseStructure
HouseStructure

Doors and locks are also used to secure the space. These features protect the inhabitants and their belongings from trespassers.

Inside a house, rooms are often organized by their specific functions. Most modern Western homes include bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room. Some houses may also have a separate dining room or an integrated eating area. Large North American homes might even feature a recreation room. In certain traditional agricultural societies, domestic animals like chickens or cattle share the house.

Vogelhaus Modell Eduard 4
Vogelhaus Modell Eduard 4

The group of people living in a house is called a household. This group is usually a family, but it can include roommates. In some cases, a single structure called a townhouse or row house holds many families.

HouseFlrPlan
HouseFlrPlan

Architects design these spaces to meet the specific needs of the residents. One method is Feng shui, which is a Chinese practice. Originally, it involved moving houses to account for micro-climates and rain. Recently, it has expanded to include the design of interior spaces. The goal is to promote harmonious effects for the people living inside. While some call it an "aura," no actual effect has ever been demonstrated. In the United States, square footage measures the living space. This measurement excludes non-living areas like the garage. In Europe, square metres include the area of the walls and attached garages.

Human history shows that housing has evolved from the simplest shelters.

Clay house model from Archanes, 1700 BC, AMH, 19410, 145004
Clay house model from Archanes, 1700 BC, AMH, 19410, 145004

An excavated house from the fifth millennium BC was found at Tell Madhur in Iraq. The Roman architect Vitruvius described the first architecture as a primitive hut. This was a frame of timber branches finished with mud. During the Middle Ages, Manor Houses served as communal living spaces. These houses held families, servants, and guests together. Large areas like the Great Hall were used for dining and meetings. The Solar was a space intended for shared sleeping beds.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Italian Renaissance introduced the Palazzo.

HouseFlrPlan
HouseFlrPlan

These buildings contained a matrix of interconnected chambers. Occupants would walk from one room to another through various doors. This layout was very public and encouraged social connectivity. However, this design lacked privacy because there were no dedicated hallways. By 1597, the Beaufort House in London showed an early move toward privacy. English architect John Thorpe designed it with a "long entry through all." This led to the development of the corridor, a revolutionary extension. A corridor allows each room to have its own door. This prevents people from having to pass through one room to reach another.

By the 17th century, Dutch houses became smaller and more family-centered. These homes were often inhabited by only four to five members. This design embraced self-reliance instead of a dependence on servants. The Dutch used the home as an escape from work. This separation of work and domesticity became important during the Industrial Revolution. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, some professionals worked from home.

For example, doctors often operated out of a front parlor. This changed by the mid-20th century as high-tech equipment required specialized offices.

Modern technology has created new challenges for the concept of home. Digital communication allows work to enter the house more easily. This "deluge of information" can make it hard to separate personal and professional life. While commuting is reduced, the desire to separate work from living remains. Some architects respond by designing homes where work and living areas merge. In other parts of the world, housing is built from scavenged materials.

Houseoltreilcolle
Houseoltreilcolle

In Manila, some houses use materials from garbage dumps. In Dakar, houses may sit on a foundation of sand and garbage. These materials can even help protect a home from flooding.

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🖼️ Images & Media (13)
File:Beowulf - hus.jpg
Beowulf - hus.jpg
File:Gingerbread House Essex CT.jpg
Gingerbread House Essex CT.jpg
File:Vogelhaus Modell Eduard 4.JPG
Vogelhaus Modell Eduard 4.JPG
File:Modèles de maisons de l'Égypte ancienne.jpg
Modèles de maisons de l'Égypte ancienne.jpg
File:Clay house model from Archanes, 1700 BC, AMH, 19410, 145004.jpg
Clay house model from Archanes, 1700 BC,...
File:HouseFlrPlan.svg
HouseFlrPlan.svg
File:988 High Street, Worsham house, circa 1880s - DPLA - ed69baf409a5eba5d1bff06c2d4dea17.jpeg
988 High Street, Worsham house, circa...
File:Doctor's residence and surgery, No 8 Milford Ave, Randwick taken for LJ Hooker Ltd by Sam Hood, 17 July 1951. Sourced from the State Library of New South Wales Home and Away 11690 FL1472550.jpg
Doctor's residence and surgery, No 8...
File:HouseStructure.JPG
HouseStructure.JPG
File:Houseoltreilcolle.JPG
Houseoltreilcolle.JPG
File:Construction maison bambou.jpg
Construction maison bambou.jpg
File:Passivhaus thermogram gedaemmt ungedaemmt.png
Passivhaus thermogram gedaemmt ungedaemmt.png

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