Contemporary:
Bold, Dramatic. New
Contemporary architecture is the architecture being made at the present time. It also
includes that of the last few decades, from the 1980s to the present.
Hip Roof:
A hip roof is a type of where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly
gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gable or other vertical sides to the roof. A square
hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs often
have dormers.
Dormer:
A dormer is a structural element of a building that protrudes
from the plane of a sloping roof surface. Dormers are used,
either in original construction or as later additions, to create
usable space in the roof of a building by adding headroom
and usually also by enabling addition of windows.
Gable ends: A gable is the triangular portion of a wall
between the lines of a sloping roof. The shape of the
gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural
system being used
Glass Block is an example of a material that
could be used in a contemporary design:
Modern stucco
Modern Stucco usually consists of 1 layer of wire lath and 3 layers of portland
cement-based plaster
Tudor:
Cedar shingles or shakes:
Shakes are typically made from Red
cedar. The main differentiating feature
between shakes and other types of
shingles is that shakes are split while
most shingles are sawn on all sides.
Casement windows:
Mansard roof in refers to a style of hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its
four sides with the lower slope being much steeper, almost a vertical wall, while the upper
slope, usually not visible from the ground, is pitched at the minimum needed to shed
water.
French Provincial:
A French door is a door that has multiple windows set into it, the full length of the door.
Victorian:
Turret
a turret is a small tower that projects from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle.
Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the
adjacent wall in the days of military fortification. As their military use faded, turrets were
adopted for decorative purposes, as in the Scottish baronial style.
Slate roof: slates, also called
roofing shingles, installed by a
slater. Slate has two lines of
breakability: cleavage and grain.
A baluster is a moulded shaft,
square or circular, in stone or wood
and sometimes in metal, supporting
the coping of a handrail of a
staircase, an assemblage of them
being known as a "balustrade".
Georgian:
Quoins:
Quoins are the corner stones that anchor the edge of the building wall. Quoins may be
structural, or may be decorative. Architects and builders use quoins to give the
impression of strength and firmness to the outline of a building.
Roof Overhangs
Appropriately sized roof overhangs have two major benefits: They keep unwanted, hot summer
sun from heating a home, and they help protect the home from moisture damage caused by
precipitation.
While protecting the walls and foundation from excess moisture, roof overhangs over entries and
windows are also convenient for the occupant during foul weather. This architectural feature that
can also enhance a home's visual appeal.
Durability
An overhang over an entry, such as a porch or even an eave, protects occupants from
precipitation, but also protect the door's finish from moisture around jambs, trim, and
thresholds, thereby minimizing the need for maintenance.
Overhangs above windows allow the resident to enjoy the sound of falling rain without worrying
about the rain coming inside.
Studies have shown that the larger the size of overhang for windows or doors, the less frequently
moisture penetration problems will occur on the exterior and foundation walls.
The local climate will determine the minimum size of overhangs. In moist climates with
significant rainfall, liberal use of overhangs is strongly recommended.
Recommended Minimum Roof Overhang Widths for One- and
Two-Story Wood Frame Buildings
Climate Index (See
Figure Below)
Eave Overhang
(Inches)
Rake Overhang
(Inches)
Less than 20
N/A
N/A
12 to 40
12
12
40 to 70
18
12
71 and above
24 or more
12 or more
Source: Modification of Prevention and Control of Decay in Homes by
Arthur F. Verrall and Terry L. Amburgey, prepared for the U.S. Department
of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Washington, DC, 1978.
Use the overhang widths in the table above if all walls have a properly constructed weather
barrier, roofs are adequately guttered, and normal maintenance of the exterior will occur. For
overhangs protecting more than two stories of walls with exposed windows and doors, consider
using larger overhangs.
Rake (gable end) overhangs deserve special consideration because more costly "outrigger"
framing methods will be required for overhangs exceeding about 12 inches in width, and the
appearance may not be acceptable to some home buyers. For sites subject to frequent
wind-driven rain, larger overhangs and drainage plane techniques that include an air space
behind the siding should be considered. For non-decay-resistant wood sidings and trim (e.g.,
windows and door casings), larger overhangs and porch roofs are recommended.
Climate Index Map Based on Wood Decay Potential
Source: Theodore C. Scheffer, "A climate index for estimating potential for decay in wood
structures above ground," Forest Products Journal, Vol. 21, No. 13, October 1971.
The climate index map does not directly account for wind-driven rain, a condition that varies with
local climate or site exposure.
Solar Shading
As with rain on the building envelope, properly sized roof overhangs can minimize the exposure
to solar radiation and radiation-related problems such as fading of furniture and carpeting.
It is possible to block unwanted direct summer sunlight from entering windows while allowing the
heat gain through windows from winter sunlight. The width of a roof overhang that allows this
seasonal solar shading depends on where the building is located with respect to the equator.
Buildings situated farther south receive greater protection from the summer sun by roof
overhangs because at higher latitudes, the sun is lower in the sky than at lower latitudes.
To determine the exact size a south-facing overhang that allows winter sun into a home but
protects the interior from direct summer sun, visit Durability by Design or see the instructions
below.
Overhang Sizing Rules
1. Draw the wall to be shaded to
scale.
2. Draw the summer sun angle
upward from the bottom of the
glazing.
3. Draw the overhang until it
intersects the summer sun angle
line.
4. Draw the line at the winter
sun angle from the bottom edge
of the overhang to the wall.
5. Use a solid wall above the line
where the winter sun hits. The
portion of the wall below that
line should be glazed.
Source: US DOE EERE, Passive Solar
Design Technology Fact Sheet,
December 2000
Roof pitch
Roof pitch Relates to the slope and angle of a roof in building construction. A roof is
considered pitched with a gradient greater than 15 degrees.
Carpenters frame (build) rafters to pitch a roof. A roof's pitch is the measured vertical rise
divided by the measured horizontal span (not the run). Roof pitch is typically expressed as
a fraction. Example: The pitch of a shed roof with an 8 foot (ft) rise (above wall height) by
a 24 ft span (between exterior supporting walls) will be 1/3. The pitch of a gable roof with a
4 ft rise by a 24 ft total span will be 1/6. However, the slopes of each roof will be the same
(1/3).
A simple (without hip or valley) shed roof is pitched with one plane. A simple gable roof is
pitched with two equal opposed-slope planes. Hip and mansard roofs are pitched with
uniform slopes on all sides. Other roof styles include: flat (unpitched), domed,
In the United States slope is typically given in inches (in) per 1 ft or as a ratio of inches per
12 in; and commonly referred to with units of, less correctly and confusingly, "pitch" (e.g.,
for a slope of 1/3, "4 pitch(es)" is 4 in of rise over 1 ft of run and "4:12 pitch" is 4 in of rise
over 12 in of run). In the UK, Austrailia and many other places, roof pitches given in
degrees () are inclinations.