Formerly I’ve looked at how a variety of roof forms relate to convention (gable-style roofs), inside spaces (sawtooth roofs) and form (striking roofs). 1 relationship I’ve yet to cover is how roofs may relate to their own site, especially to landscapes with changes in topography. 1 common kind of roofing I’ve discovered with steep sites is shed roofs, sometimes called single-slope roofs. This ideabook looks at a small number of homes with shed roofs to observe how they work with their sites.
Johnston Architects
The project, made by Johnston Architects, is two buildings in a wooded site outside Seattle. Much of the complex was constructed out of blown-down trees, additionally supplying a clearing for the buildings to obtain sun in the dense environs. The main building, in the foreground, is partly bermed into the slope, opening up to the sunlight and shedding water and snow to the back.
Johnston Architects
Another building, that sits in a higher altitude, has a similar drop roof, even though it isn’t bermed into the ground. Again, the tall distance is oriented into the sun, though it is altered relative to the major building in order to capture perspectives beyond it.
Johnston Architects
This view from within the primary building shows how the home opens up toward the clearing. Outside, the roofing construction is all wood, but indoors it is composed of spacious joists made from steel and wood. These allow a longer period and give the open inside some character.
Thielsen Architects, Inc.. P.S.
Not too much from the previous project is this home created by Thielsen Architects. From this vantage point, we could realize that the land slopes away from us, just as the roofing does. “The home creates mirror the natural slope of the site,” the architects explain, grounding the home and making it appear as a pure connection between the steep slopes above and beneath it.”
Thielsen Architects, Inc.. P.S.
Transferring a little bit forward from the last photograph (the ribbon windows on the left will be exactly the exact same in both photos), we now observe the lower level and the home’s entrance adjacent to the drive. As the roof’s angle follows the fall, the rock base steps down, acting as a planter.
Thielsen Architects, Inc.. P.S.
Moving back up the incline toward the other side of the home, we could observe how nicely the home works with the landscape. Upper and lower outside zones are made, with the home’s interior acting as the link.
Thielsen Architects, Inc.. P.S.
The more private side of the home has a patio adjacent to the lower level. The vertical part wrapped in precisely the exact same metal as the rest of the home (different than the vertical element coated in rock close to the driveway — the chimney) houses an elevator. It sits alongside the staircase, which also confront the patio.
Thielsen Architects, Inc.. P.S.
1 space that includes a roofline running in the opposite direction as the significant volume is the master bedroom, visible on the far left in the preceding picture. The space opens up toward the trees and view, with an altitude that is articulated with large windows, a sunshade and a clerestory window over.
Neiman Taber Architects
Yet another Pacific Northwest project (revealing that drop roofs have a regional influence) is this two-house development in Seattle made by David Neiman Architects. The drop roof of every building slopes away from the landscape, such that they’re opened to sunlight and views.
Neiman Taber Architects
Due to the slope, the homes were created with retaining walls in the lower floors. Together with the slope of the roof, this points into positioning service spaces (baths, storage, stairs etc.) into the back, opening the front part of the home for some other spaces.
Neiman Taber Architects
Here we could see among these service spaces tucked in the back of the home. Its location on the side wall nevertheless gives the bathroom some light and atmosphere, and a perspective of the other home in the evolution.
Neiman Taber Architects
In front of another bathroom is the bedroom, opened into the skies, such as other spaces on the front of their homes.
ALTUS Architecture + Design
Heading west to Minnesota, here’s a home designed by Altus Architecture + Design which appears fairly orthogonal from the front, minus the yellow quantity’s sloping roof.
ALTUS Architecture + Design
Moving around the house toward the back, we could observe how the land slopes from front to back. The angle of the roof roughly follows this slope.
ALTUS Architecture + Design
While the roofing will not follow the angle of the topography, I feel as if the roof’s incline is an official move, allowing the building to appear taller from the front and shorter from the back. Here we may observe the bedroom under that roof. The slope is hardly perceptible, but the base of the clerestory does put up a line for the top of the walls (a closet?) Inside the bedroom.
Field Architecture
This last example is a contemporary design by Field Architecture in San Francisco, the aptly called Hillside House. Here is another project where the roofing follows the slope of the property. Yet the key to the design is the wood deck which begins at this lowest level and extends into the home.
Field Architecture
Here’s a better view of the deck, which is tucked under the opening and goes inside and up the staircase.
Field Architecture
The floor extends into the upper floor. In this picture we can see how the kitchen has side panoramic views of the trees and skies, thanks to the way in which the roof slopes down and away.