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The long, narrow style of house was popular in past decades for its economy and passive cooling features.
Shotgun homes are not particularly common in the United States, especially in new construction. But the distinctive long, narrow homes remain of particular historical interest, and the advantages of their design are still applied in some homes today.
Shotgun houses were most common in the American south, and in particular remain emblematic historic homes in New Orleans.
The source of the name is uncertain. Some believe it’s related to an old saying about firing a shotgun from the front door that goes out the back; others believe the term is rooted in African and Haitian terms.
Elements of a shotgun-style home
The defining characteristic of a shotgun house plan is the single-floor arrangement of all rooms lined up in a row. The bathroom is either placed at the very end of the house or off to the side of the kitchen.
Shotgun homes frequently involve high ceilings, which tend to cool a room, and frontage very close to the street is common.
Some modern designs incorporate the shotgun house's long, narrow profile. (Photo by Frank Espich)
Pros and cons of shotgun houses
Shotgun houses tended to be inexpensive. They were relatively simple to build and tended to require both less space and fewer building materials. The layout was also an effective means of ventilating a home that otherwise had no air conditioning. The straight line of rooms allowed free flow of air and a breeze throughout the house if front and back doors were open.
New shotgun houses are relatively rare. The style was frequently demolished in past decades, and the rise of the single-story ranch house replaced the shotgun home’s position in the economic strata in many cities. However, historic preservation societies have taken an interest in maintaining and restoring shotgun houses because of their long heritage.
Shotgun house design includes passive cooling features — the lineup of rooms and high ceilings creates a cooling effect. High-efficiency designers have studied ways to apply the shotgun layout to inexpensively improve ventilation and climate control in small, efficient homes.