History Of Chinese Roofs

The simplest is the lean to or shed which has only one slope a roof with two slopes that form an a or triangle is called a gable or pitched roof this type of roof was used as early as the temples of ancient greece and has been a staple of domestic architecture in northern europe and the americas for many centuries.

History of chinese roofs.

The peking man was evidence of the beginnings of distinct cultures being developed in the stone age. Chinese roofs are typically of the hip roof type with small gables so decorations along the ridge line were highly visible to observers. Variant versions are still widespread in chinese temples and has spread to the rest of east asia and parts of southeast asia. Roofs also became much more curved at the corners.

To better understand the architecture in ancient chinese roof systems let s take a journey back in time on the history of chinese culture and how the buildings developed. From the circular houses built with mud and wood in the neolithic period to grand palaces with exquisite roofs to the skyscrapers of today chinese architecture has evolved over a long period of time. To start their design process for the museum the architects researched and analysed the existing site. Roofs have been essential structures in human history whether they re the natural stone of caves a flimsy tent or the tile of modern homes.

Several structures the village history hall and the dilapidated zhang family s house formed the starting point for the new design and closely neighbouring buildings such as a local temple defined the spatial and aesthetic qualities of the design too. 3 features of chinese roof architecture 1. Traditional chinese architecture is not only as old as chinese civilization with 5 000 years of history but unique in the world particularly when the roof system is concerned both in terms of its multi layered dougong structure a set of interlocking wooden brackets that supports the massive roofs and its visual style in shape size and colour. Ancient chinese architecture was designed to be attractive especially the distinctive roofs.

Chinese architecture demonstrates an architectural style that developed over millennia in china before spreading out to influence architecture throughout east asia since the solidification of the style in the early imperial period the structural principles of chinese architecture have remained largely unchanged the main changes being only the decorative details. Sloping roofs come in many different varieties. There were various roof styles with functional features a hierarchy of designs and exquisite details. Chinese architecture was in the main then remarkably constant.

One of the few developments was to simplify the roof beams to make the structure lighter and to increase the height of the supporting pillars to give a more elegant proportion of height against width.