Mansard Roof Architecture

Well the roof particularly defines the form of art rather than just making an architectural design for functionality.

Mansard roof architecture.

It was widely used in renaissance and baroque french architecture. Second empire architecture spread to england during the paris exhibitions of 1852 and 1867. A mansard or mansard roof also called a french roof or curb roof is a four sided gambrel style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope punctured by dormer windows at a steeper angle than the upper. Mansard roofs were considered especially practical because they allowed usable living quarters to be placed in the attic.

Interestingly in europe mansard can also refer to the attic space and not just the roof structure. You may not see such roofing style in most traditional homes but they can be easily found in barn houses and similar modern places. Both of the aforementioned roof types can provide extra attic space or other room without building an entire additional floor. The mansard roof is a combination of gambrel and hip roof.

Installing a mansard roof became a practical way to provide additional living space in the attic level. Thus this roof architecture was christened as the mansard roof in his honor. Before long french fever spread to the united states. The mansard roof is a hipped gambrel roof thus having two slopes on every side.

The steep roof with windows creates an additional floor of habitable space a garret and reduces the overall height of the roof for a given number of. For this reason older buildings were often remodeled with mansard roofs.