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A fascinating video essay by Stewart Hicks on the invention of the modern truss and how that changed the way we build houses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oIeLGkSCMA submitted by /u/Indifferent_Jackdaw [link] [comments]

While everyone has their own opinion on what makes a true McMansion, there are several defining features or attributes that should be looked for to determine if a home fits the McMansion criteria. This post will serve as a guide to help users determine if they should use the "Certified McMansion" flair on their submission and to learn more about what a McMansion is. This guide will be edited as needed to make sure it fully explains the accepted properties of a McMansion. Basic Principles of a McMansion: Large: Generally above 2500 square feet and two story or more, sometimes way too big for the lot it sits on. Built Cheap: They are built by cutting corners and using less than quality materials because they focus on getting as much size and appearance of wealth as possible from their money. It's the illusion of class that might fool the average person who doesn't have a sense of architectural integrity. McMansions will often use materials such as stucco, manufactured stone veneer, Styrofoam crown molding, or vinyl siding. Fit Several Styles: They fit multiple styles of architecture by mashing together different elements from the individual styles in a distasteful manner. They also might poorly imitate a popular style. Exterior After-Thought: They are designed with a focus on the interior first and the exterior is done as an after-thought which often results in features such as jutting masses and haphazardly placed windows. Lacks Architectural Integrity: The house makes you confident that there was no licensed architect involved in its creation who cares about what they design Specific Features To Look For: An attached 2 or 3 car garage A garage that takes up way too much of what is considered the house Tall 1.5-2 story arched entry or "lawyer foyer" Haphazardly applied dormers or windows Windows of varying shapes/sizes/styles Windows not aligned with those below them Second story windows that are larger than the windows below them Window shutters that if closed would not cover the actual window Jutting masses or heavily asymmetrical Multiple wall materials Roof that contains varying slopes, roof types, or more than two roof shapes for the front facade Roof nub Roof with excessive roof lines and is in general just too complex Dormers that are way too short, way too tall, don't match the rest of the house materials or style, or are placed terribly/spaced unevenly Columns that don't support anything or are too thin/weak looking to support what they are appearing to support aka columns with inappropriate scaling Columns with spacing that is over complicated or messy Columns that are the incorrect architectural style for the house Some Links To Check Out: The Original McMansionHell Web Blog by Kate Wagner Kate Wagners Guide to McMansions History of the McMansion by Kate Wagner This is what I could come up with for now to touch base here on what a McMansion is. I'll make edits to this in the coming weeks until we reach a near final guide post on McMansions. If you have any suggestions for what we could add to this guide, comment below or send me a message. Side note: the first "Appreciation Thursday" is coming up! Don't forget to prepare a suburban home that you think deserves recognition as the opposite of a McMansion and post it on 7/16 with the "Thursday Design Appreciation" flair. submitted by /u/ArchitectureGeek [link] [comments]

I don’t know if this has been done before but here it is lol submitted by /u/ComplexMessage9941 [link] [comments]

Literally on top of Jackass Hill and across the street from Jackass Hill park. Street view does’t quite do it justice. submitted by /u/djvidinenemkx [link] [comments]

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I feel like it qualifies submitted by /u/TruckersAreBored [link] [comments]

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submitted by /u/stook_jaint [link] [comments]

Sitting about 100 yards from a major highway and they still don’t want to plant any bushes or trees. Sit on your balcony and relax to the sights and sounds of a highway. submitted by /u/tarheel786352 [link] [comments]

"Ugly" is subjective. People use it to post things they do not like. If we keep rule 1, it needs explanation. There are other subs for ugly houses. We should focus on McMansions. Most of us have read the sidebar. If we define "ugly houses" well I would not oppose keeping rule 1. Without definition rule 1 is not helping this community. Flair: "Certified McMansion" "Thursday Design Appreciation" "Discussion/Debate" cover most on topic posts. "Discussion/Debate" should not be used to avoid other flairs. OPs who use it to advocate for a house are skirting the intent. "Ugly Mansion" will cover big houses that people hate. If we want to keep that. "Ugly Mansion" will clarify what is a Mc not mansion and help the sub stay on topic. Mansions people like are for Thursday. It is special. Memes I do not care about. Whatever. Shitpost is only used to troll the sub not knowing what a McMansion is. It shoud go. Sims and Amateur are only used on houses people dislike but are not McMansions. They should go. Interior is never used. It can go. submitted by /u/BridgeArch [link] [comments]

Like most of the posts here aren’t even default ugly cookie cutter “McMansions” they are just homes that seem to have a style you may or may not like. submitted by /u/Itchy-Version-8977 [link] [comments]

This is an ongoing trend in this small town. Boxes are popping up wicked fast, and cost what you would pay in any desirable area. The draw in this town? WalMart corporate headquarters. submitted by /u/leafcomforter [link] [comments]

I’m curious about this sub’s opinions on homes built in places where typical home design is fundamentally impossible and the terrain has to be manhandled in service of building a home in an otherwise unbuildable location in service of a degree of privacy and views. They immediately check a lot of the criteria because they’re wildly asymmetrical and smushed together on the hills but calling some of them McMansions feels very very wrong. submitted by /u/Dangerousrhymes [link] [comments]

submitted by /u/mada447 [link] [comments]

Floorplan: https://www.houseplans.net/floorplans/419500025/european-plan-3376-square-feet-4-6-bedrooms-4.5-bathrooms Listing: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2415-Wildhorse-Trl_Cheyenne_WY_82009_M74031-33066?from=srp-list-card submitted by /u/superoishii [link] [comments]

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5772-N-Garfield-Ave-Fresno-CA-93723/445812804_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare submitted by /u/GMDGMDGMD [link] [comments]

This house looks like they took a six year old’s drawing of a rocket ship and built a house around it. It is for sale in North Carolina. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4114-Rose-Lake-Dr-Greensboro-NC-27407/5996818_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare House is over 5900 sq ft and there are only four bedrooms. The inside is just as ‘interesting’ as outside. The rooms are just cavernous, especially the primary bedroom. submitted by /u/EclecticNtrists [link] [comments]

Mini rant Disclaimer: I’ve lived in several major metro cities on the coasts and in many “fly over” states. I have so much love for Middle America and think they get very unfairly stereotyped. HAVING SAID THAT, how much of the hate for the “fly overs” would go away if they just stopped enabling subdivision/McMansion culture? There’s so much potential and beauty in so many of these states. Not to mention the lower relative cost of living. Car culture and McMansion culture will be our undoing. submitted by /u/Personal_Repeat_5807 [link] [comments]

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It's like all of us have been talking past each other this whole time and only just started listening. submitted by /u/argumentativ [link] [comments]

Thought you all would get a kick out of my very own personal extra high lawyer foyer. The dormer cut in over the front door is the mounting point for my extra long builder grade brass and glass chandelier. At the risk of asking a serious question in a roast sub, anyone have any suggestions on a good looking replacement light? submitted by /u/IP_What [link] [comments]

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I really, really like McMansions, i would love to get my hands on one one day. My dream is to be at least upper middle class, and owning a McMansion to go with my wealth is a great thought to me. For anyone who has ever owned a McMansion, what was your experience with it? submitted by /u/Character-Escape1621 [link] [comments]