After witnessing a McMansion, it’s typical to start asking yourself how such architectural miracles came to exist. Its origins can be traced back to California in the 1980s, a time of free-flowing capital. New, larger homes were intended to act as pretend mansions for upper-middle-class residents who wanted to show off their financial status. In reality, many buyers took out high-interest mortgages to purchase them, acquiring massive debt and accelerating the housing bubble which burst in 2008. Many people lost their homes or saw their property value drop massively.
Nonetheless, their prevalence set an example on what was desirable in a middle-class home. All of a sudden, sharing a bathroom seemed ridiculous, and 1,200 square feet of space became claustrophobic. The size of houses continued to grow, reaching its peak in 2015, when the average square footage of a home increased to 2,687 square feet.
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Still, McMansions haven't gone anywhere. These resilient homes are still thriving in many suburban neighborhoods. Here’s a short guide to assist you in your next McMansion sighting:
- Notice an abnormally large house and an unproportionally small yard - you’re probably looking at a McMansion.
- A house you’re looking at is full of random exterior features and has roofs for days - that’s a McMansion.
- Passing by a new build that’s already started to crumble - you can consider yourself lucky; you’ve got yourself a McMansion!
Architectural peculiarities aside, they’re also harming nature by being energy inefficient and eco-unfriendly. Some other specific features to look for are misaligned windows, asymmetry, oversized garages, and various wall materials.
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To raise awareness about suburban homes, the subreddit “McMansionsHell” kicked off in 2017 and has already attracted over 190k members. It is described as “a subreddit about large, cheaply built, suburban homes with design flaws and a lack of architectural integrity also known as McMansions”. Kate has successfully gathered a niche community where design skeptics can share and discuss their findings about puzzling homes.
The main purpose of sharing and discussing McMansions is education. During her TED Talk “I hate McMansions - and you should too”, Kate discussed how these mansions are damaging to our environment as well as our society. She aspires to encourage others to criticize architecture and build a more beautiful society by showcasing such homes through humor.
Even though McMansions aren’t exactly stylish, they are in demand. With the rising popularity of house flipping in the US, people are once again buying them, remodeling and trying to grab buyers' attention with upgrades that simplify and modernize the home.
After going through many ups and downs, the future of McMansions is foggy. Due to growing house prices, some people are concerned that a new housing bubble may be developing. This could mean that McMansions may face a decreased demand in the upcoming future.
#14 Loganville Georgia. Spec Built, 19,000 Sf. Initially Listed By Builder For $2.6m, Foreclosed & Sold For $374,900
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In the meantime, an evolved kind of McMansion is appearing. Inspired by modernism, McModerns are using the same design logic as its predecessor. The only difference is the exterior, which follows the straight lines of contemporary architecture. McModerns overall have a more simplistic, cohesive design that attracts rich millennials. Fans of McMansions should not worry, as these modern homes have spacious rooms, garages that resemble entire car parks, and extra spaces for other activities such as working, lifting weights and making popcorn in your own home cinema. It’s all a matter of taste, but it seems that they are here to stay too.
