03-06-2011, 06:09 AM
quote:
Originally posted by TrevorKane
I'd say, as with all architecture, it's a matter of personal taste.
Amen to that, brah! And Hawai'i probably exemplifies that principle more than anywhere else I can think of. In my area there's a plain vanilla (i.e., boring) HPM-kit type 1BR house for sale for $169K, right next door to a stunning classic to-die-for plantation house worth $1.25 million. Different strokes, ya know?
Here's a handy link for anyone needing a quick refresher on what A-frames are all about: http://www.shelterpop.com/2009/11/10/a-frame-houses/
As the article mentions, A-frames typically have loft type sleeping space up in the peak of the roof. In cold climes that's an advantage, because heat rises, so the beds are in the warmest part of the house at night. To me, in the tropics that would be a huge disadvantage.
Also, for rainwater catchment it is desireable to have a standing seam metal or corrugated roof, not shingles or asphalt roofing, due to potential health issues. A-frames with their large roof area are typically roofed with shingles. And fuhgeddabout tiles.
Also, since the steep slope wastes a lot of rainwater and energy due to inefficiency (at that angle the water tends to splash out of standard gutters, and typically will need to be pumped up to a storage tank rather than following gravity down to a storage tank from a conventional roof) it wouldn't seem to be the best choice where annual rainfall is low, like Ka'u or Kona. But you'd probably be OK in Puna, yeah? [
]Also, since the windows are typically only on the end walls, siting the building correctly to take advantage of natural breezes for ventilation during hot and humid weather would be critical.
Reason and rationality aside, I really just think they look dumb outside of snow ski areas. [xx(]
But as TrevorKane pointed out, different strokes for different mokes. [8D]