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Modern Architecture
Extraordinary Roofs Have High Design Covered
Think beyond gabled or flat. A dramatic roof tops off a stunning home exterior in style
The options for roof design aren't limited to the two most prevalent ones: pitched (gable, hip) or flat. Other shapes and expressions are possible, and when done creatively the roof can be the most striking aspect of a house's exterior. This ideabook collects four houses with dramatic roofs, dissecting what drives them beyond creating strong images.
In this waterfront residence in Gloucester, Massachusetts, architect Charles Rose describes the roof as having a sail-like quality. The house is like a boomerang in plan, and the roof reaches its high point where the two wings meet, the distant point in this photo. But as can be seen, at this end the roof turns down to become wall-like, acting as a terminus for the terraces.
Another view of this turned-down end shows the way the roof and wall construction contains the space of the terraces and directs views toward the water. This wall might also create privacy.
In this overall view of the Gloucester House, the way the roof rises to the corner is evident, though the angle is quite shallow. Nevertheless, the varying depth of the roofline past the glass walls helps shade the interior from the high sun.
Speaking of roof becoming wall, this house in Toronto, designed by Bortolotto, appears to be all roof. This elevation is the street side, giving the residents plenty of privacy.
A close-up of the front elevation shows how the windows happen when the roof and wall are pierced or cut in some manner. A narrow, vertical window projects beyond the dark stone surface; the entrance also pushes forward in the foreground. In between, the roof is cut back to let light into the living space.
The rear elevation is something else entirely. The roof extends slightly past a brick wall and an undulating glass wall. The latter is a fairly baroque touch that counters the strong solidity and angularity of the roof on the other side of the house.
While the two previous examples are of multistory houses with large roofs, this low and horizontal residence in Scottsdale, Arizona, designed by Kendle Design Collaborative, is broken up with courtyards and smaller roofs. Here we can see three metal-sheathed roofs.
Here is another view of the same courtyard. I like the way the thick roof is punctured by an opening, a means of introducing natural light, so the deep overhang is not too dark.
An overall view shows the profile of the main roof, a shallow butterfly shape that recalls Frank Lloyd Wright's nearby Taliesin West.
For the Covelly House in Sydney, architect Rudolfsson Alliker added a third story to a two-story residence. A double-height space is accentuated and screened by a curved roof. Here we see the roof at the entrance to the house.
Now just inside the entry, we can see how the curved profile extends inside the house. Exposed framing and corrugated metal give way to a white drywall surface.
From the rear of the house we can see another curve; this one reaches to the top of the house and opens up to act as a semicovered terrace. The roof may look out of place with the boxy volumes used in the rest of the house, but the way the curves extend inside creates some distinctive spaces.
More:
9 Cooling Rooftop Gardens
Architect's Toolbox: Roofs That Connect Earth and Sky
High Design for the Downspout
More:
9 Cooling Rooftop Gardens
Architect's Toolbox: Roofs That Connect Earth and Sky
High Design for the Downspout