03-05-2011, 07:37 PM
quote:
Originally posted by MarkP
A recent post stated that A-frames, being designed with a steep pitch to shed snow and being all roof, had absolutely no business in Hawaii. Another post followed closely that listed some conditions under which an A-frame might not be a total waste of time, including being built on stilts, but nevertheless made it clear that that poster also thought A-frames were a poor fit.
Yes, that's assuming you want to build a modern house, using modern materials. Historical Hawaiian designs had high pitch roofs largely because of the roofing materials they used. Palm leaf and thatch roofs the world over are steeply pitched because they are not waterproof. Instead they use the steep angle to direct the water along the fronds or straw or whatever to a drip point outside the walls. That's why all those quaint English cottages with the thatched roofs and sheep grazing outside have high pitched roofs.
If you intend to do rainwater catchment, steepness is your enemy. CTAHR has established that optimal rain harvesting is done with roof angles betwen 2/12 and 3/12.
Paging through a few reference books I have, I see that the style was basically an invention of the 1950s, and that it was most used as a style for second homes because it was relatively cheap to frame up and could go on a small lot; the restricted upstairs space dictated loft style sleeping; and yes... it shed snow well. Since it looked vaguely Alpine it became popular in ski areas.
There's one near me here in Volcano, and frankly, it just looks goofy to me in this environment. I'm much more into choosing a basic design because of its functionality.