Where building meets sky : the dialogue between horizontal and vertical

Abstract

The roof is man's basic shelter against the elements. The form of the roof itself affects the image of a building. The problem of shelter has been approached in different ways by different cultures. A wide range of forces such as climate, technology, available resources and social, personal and stylistic influences give form to the roof. These forces are particular in both place and time. As a framework for investigation that can apply to all roofs, this thesis looks specifically at roof forms as a response to the force of gravity, approached in terms of a dialogue between horizontal and vertical. Assuming the ground to be horizontal and the building essentially vertical, the building is seen as aspiring to some connection with the vault of the sky. The roof is explored as the meeting of building and sky -- a transition zone between shelter and openness. The forms, materials and spaces that work to resolve that connection as well as the associations and meanings they have for man are explored. The purpose is to better understand the fundamental forces that affect the form of roofs and people's perceptions of them.