Whoever said roofs were just to keep the rain out? Architecture, materials, creativity and possibilities have seen incredible advances in recent years. What man is capable of seems to be getting bigger and more innovative at a faster rate than ever before. Designing a roof now isn’t something that is considered as an afterthought, it’s just as important as the rest of the building.
These 8 amazing roof designs from around the world are proof that roofs aren’t just for sprinkles; they’re the icing on the cake.
1. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Singapore already has a reputation for incredible architecture and an amazing tourism industry, so its technological university on Nanyang Avenue continues the legacy with its amazing roof design. The five storey high School of Art, Design & Media has a roof garden that covers the entire building in a sloping ellipse shape. The incredible design not only looks beautiful, it’s eco-friendly and blends in to its green environment, plus it also insulates the whole building! Soil and grass are great retainers of heat, and the grass cools surrounding air, as well as collects rainwater for landscape irrigation!
2. Ubud Hotel in Payangan, Bali
The roof of Ubud Hotel in Bali isn’t just nice for you to look at; it’s nice for you to look out from. It’s not just a viewing point for the beautiful location and tropical forest around you, but it’s actually a giant swimming pool. The amazing shape and design means that the pool has no big walls around it, nor does it even feel like you can see where it ends. The water goes right to the thin edge of the roof in a series of different levels and shapes. The tranquil surroundings are unbelievable and the pool gives a relaxation that no other could offer under the sky.
3. Acros Fukuoka Building, Japan
From one side of the building, you may be wondering what is so special about the roof. It just looks like a normal glass-walled office building, albeit a nice, shiny one. Head around to the other side though, and you’ll be stunned by what you see. The enormous building transforms into a staggered roof terrace that merges with a park. The highest of the terraces is an amazing 60 metres above the ground, and is brimming with life…and is in fact. The park and roof are filled with 76 different species of plants, of which there are an impressive 35,000 in total!
4. Sydney Opera House
Perhaps one of the most iconic of all our roofs on the list, the Sydney Opera House roof was an absolutely incredible design and engineering accomplishment. Nothing like it existed before, and nothing like it exists today. The world renowned shell-shapes that cut into the city skyline are made from concrete casts, and decorated with glazed ceramic tiles that give it its distinctive shine in the sunlight.
5. Air Force Chapel, Colorado Springs
This one of a kind church design was inspired by the tetrahedron shape, and the architecture behind this roofing design came from mathematics. In simple terms, it’s a complicated pyramid! The church was built in the 1960s, and the roof is made up of 17 spires in a parallel row, standing an impressive 150 feet tall. Designer Walter Netsch designed the chapel for the Air Force, and it cost an eye-watering $3.5 million to make.
6. Wimbledon Centre Court, London
This incredible moving roof weighs 3,000 tonnes, and retracts in less than 10 minutes! It covers a jaw dropping 5,200 square metres, 16 metres above ground level. The flexible translucent material was designed so that Centre Court could play on come rain or shine, and is an incredible feat of engineering. Wimbledon’s Centre Court roof is the only court in the world to offer the experience…as if Centre Court seats weren’t coveted enough!
7. Chicago City Hall
Chicago City Hall has a hidden secret. Not many people will ever see the beautiful sunburst pattern of the amazing green roof, but some may be able to catch a good glimpse from the skyscrapers surrounding the building. The roof isn’t for public use, so this one is perhaps the most exclusive roof on our list!
8. The Eden Project, Cornwall, England
The Eden Project is the world’s largest greenhouse. The amazing creation is like one giant roof, made up of a series of large domes that mould into each other, like bubbles joined together sticking out of the ground. This is perhaps an incredibly simplistic way of describing it though as the giant domes are made of many hexagonal and pentagonal cells made of a special translucent material, retaining heat, light and humidity. It means that even England can be home to tropical plants and animals!
Conclusion
When roofs are concerned, the sky really is the limit. Building wider, higher and crazier is the aim of the game for architects today. Every designer and architect wants to achieve something special, something new, something that has never been done before. Whether you’re planning something that will change the world, or just planning something different for your garden shed roof, hopefully these 8 amazing roof designs will help you raise the ceiling of your own ambition!
Image credits: eGuide travel and Carine06
