Architect Plan Books and The Small House Movement: Preserving Small Houses of the 1920s

A free webinar presented by the California Preservation Foundation

Register HERE.

The Small House Movement commenced in 1919 with the establishment of the Architects’ Small House Service Bureau by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). This non-profit organization pioneered a groundbreaking plan service, allowing prospective homeowners to purchase small house blueprints by mail. The bureau’s stringent standards for small house design greatly influenced architectural practices, inspiring numerous architect bureaus and house plan publications throughout the 1920s.

As part of a national initiative called Better Homes in America, the movement utilized small house designs to advocate for social reform and the enhancement of suburban aesthetics. Collaborating with the Architects’ Small House Service Bureau, Better Homes in America launched comprehensive research and educational programs, including annual model house exhibitions held across the nation’s cities.

Join the California Preservation Foundation as Valerie Smith, architectural historian and preservation consultant, presents her research on this movement — examining the origins and contributors of the movement and analyzing the houses built as a result — including a notable “treasure hunt” in Santa Barbara, where she identifies existing model houses from the 1920s. This case study serves as a valuable resource for historians and preservationists, offering essential guidelines for the conservation of houses associated with the Small House Movement.

Valerie’s presentation promises to shed light on the lesser-known yet impactful Small House Movement of the 1920s, provide historians, preservationists, and enthusiasts with resources and guidelines for preserving houses associated with the Small House Movement of the 1920s.

Register HERE.