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homogeneity and coherence of squares and streets, for exam-
ple when the fronts of houses display either eaves only, or
gables only. Through contrasting roof forms, however, houses
confront one another with individualized > gestures, turning
towards one another, for example, with pent roofs or large
roof openings, reaching out into space with large projections,
or centring other buildings around themselves by means of a
cupola. The form of the roof is not only recognizable from a
distance, but also displays itself through gables, eaves or roof
projections. With cornices and overhangs, the edge of the roof
indicates a virtual upper terminus of the public space, and
forms the boundary of an imaginary roof that spans a plaza
in virtual terms.
The roof edge also forms the upper terminus that is re-
quired by the external form of the building itself; even the
flat roof building displays a terminus in the attic. An elemen-
tary characteristic of > tectonics is the distinction between
below and above, one that comes to expression in the con-
trast between the pedestal, which rests firmly on the building
ground, and the superimposed crown or added covering of
the roof. While the flat roof – at least from the conventional
viewing position – adds little to the plasticity of a building,
the inclined roof can be interpreted as a continuation of the
outer wall that completes or rounds off the (convex) gestalt
of the building at its apex. The closed character of the flat
roof reinforces the building’s visual corporeality and solid-
ity, enhancing its sculptural affect. The specific treatment of
the roof covering, meanwhile, an imbricated covering of roof
tiles or shingles, the application of a thin metal layer or fur/
hide structure in the form of straw or reeds, is perceived as an
independent epidermis-like layer.
With its differentiated articulation, the roof offers the
possibility of rendering the building’s ground plan or its as-
sembly from various components legible from the outside.
The forms of the interior are mirrored in the composition of
various roof elements. On the other hand, a unified roof is