In this week's piece by Metropolis, author Kelly Beamon explores in her original article "the patriotism associated with pitched roofs and shares how architects are reimagining this staple of suburban house styles". According to its definition, a gable roof is a classic roof shape, usually in cold or temperate climates, consisting of two roof sections sloping in opposite directions and placed such that the highest, horizontal edges meet to form the roof ridge. Emblematic of the US, this article discusses its return to the urban fabric.
Gabled roofs are as potent a symbol of Americanness as apple pie: The roof typology and dessert are European, yet both are viewed as emblematic of national domesticity. So it’s meaningful that gabled roofs are experiencing a revival across North America in new variations and materials at a time when clients and communities tend to weigh each project’s social and environmental impact. After years of being viewed (and taught) as a feature at odds with Modern architecture, there seems to be a gable 2.0 emerging.
