McMansion /məkˈmanʃ(ə)n/ noun: a large modern house that is considered ostentatious and lacking in architectural integrity.
A single, all-encompassing definition of the word ‘McMansion’ is hard to come by, but there seems to be a broad consensus over its negative connotations: in the early 1980s, American suburbia saw a rise in expansive luxury homes, often at odds with the scale of the surrounding context and possessing an architectural style that was no easier to define than it was for design purists to stomach.
An American McMansion exemplar. Styles may vary… via Gawker
Ill-proportioned porticos, doric columns, and oversized Palladian windows abound, wealthy clients tasked architects with merging disparate elements that encapsulated their idiosyncratic idea of luxury and grandeur. As the trend proliferated, these bloated homes became synonymous with a naïve understanding of Neo-classical styles, and, at worst, were condemned as a wasteful extravagance. Persian palaces, starter castles and hummer houses — whatever nickname is bestowed upon them, McMansions undoubtedly remain one of the most reviled architectural typologies of the modern era.
Via Photobucket
Thankfully, such fads were not built to last. In the States, there are signs that the appetite for these puffed-up palaces is now on the wane, with Lance Hosey of Architect Magazine triumphantly declaring the death of the McMansion in 2010.
However, take a look across the Atlantic to the green fields of England, and it appears that reports of the McMansion’s demise have been greatly exaggerated…
The contemporary English iteration of the McMansion incorporates many of the classic elements of its American counterpart, but with some key differences. Firstly, given the UK’s urban make-up, they are typically situated in rural locations, rather than being a preposterous component of suburban sprawl — more McManor than McMansion, perhaps. As a consequence, their footprint tends to be even more gargantuan, with few property boundaries to inhibit the ambitions of their wealthy owners.
Take Robert Adam’s Solar House in Sussex for example – a building that The Independent’s Jay Merrick eloquently described as “steroidally classical.” To be fair to the architect, the house — which combines passive solar gain principles with the traditional style desired by their client — is clearly labelled ‘experimental’ on their website. As we know, not all experiments are wildly successful…
Given the preponderance of features best left in the hands of the ancient Romans or Greeks, it would be easy to assume that all McMansions are designed by architects with an addiction to kitschy Neo-classicism. However, following changes in UK planning law — including a tweak to the infamous ‘Paragraph 55’ — modern styles are being introduced to the mega-manor typology, with varying degrees of success.
Via Homebuilding
First up, Downley House in Hampshire by BPR Architects offers up a curious cluster of tubular forms wrapped in a contemporary palette of pale stone and timber cladding. Meanwhile, the traditional pillared portico is shunned in favor of a soaring, egg-shaped entrance hall.
This project is by no means devoid of architectural quality, and many would argue that the label of ‘McMansion’ should not be applied in such cases. However, in England, the fact that the building is of incongruous scale with its surroundings is as much a cause of controversy as any argument concerning design integrity or taste.
Via BD Online
Then there is the unrealized Serenity, a house originally designed by Baca Architects for a couple that won a cool £45 million on the lottery in 2012. This outlandish rural retreat looks more like a museum by Zaha Hadid than a private residence, employing a brand of organic futurism rarely seen in England’s cities, let alone its countryside. The client’s wish list ticked many of the boxes essential for any self-respecting McMansion: “five bedrooms, a dramatic sweeping staircase, a large garage and a grotto-style pool.”
Via Encraft
Finally, and perhaps most successfully, Groundwork Architects recently unveiled renders of a Passivhaus-certified country home in rural Derbyshire. While Jay Merrick’s description of the design as “slabby-chic” was a decidedly backhanded compliment, the horizontal lines and soft timber cladding appear much more at home within the landscape than Baca’s gaudy proposal. This is one mansion that does not deserve the disparaging “Mc-” prefix, and shows that large-scale abodes need not always be afflicted with kitschy excess.
While the rise of huge rural homes may give rise to apprehension for many, it is clear that one precedent is vastly different from the next, in terms of both architectural quality and perceived impact on the surrounding landscape. We must therefore consider each new proposal on its merits, and try not to let the specter of the McMansion cast a shadow across the English countryside…
Yours ostentatiously,