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Design and architecture aren't matters of opinion – "disliking roofs" isn't a thing and is not her point. Combinations of various features lead to different dyn

Design and architecture aren't matters of opinion – "disliking roofs" isn't a thing and is not her point. Combinations of various features lead to different dynamics, which can be beneficial or harmful to the overall appearance or impression given by the object. So when she says the house is "all roof," it's not that she dislikes roofs in general; it's that the roof dwarfs the rest of the house, making it look small and insignificant. Imagine wearing too large of a suit, or putting your TV in front a movie theater screen.

dlubarov 10y ago
The thing with roofs is that if you get substantial snowfall in winter, practicality demands a steep roof pitch, otherwise melted snow will drip through the shingles. A high roof pitch necessary makes the roof more prominent. From a reverse image search, the two "more roof than house" photos (both in the 8 section) seem to be from Sandy Spring, Maryland and Gaithersburg, Maryland. In general, the author seems to think that builders should place more value on architectural merit rather than practicality, maintainability and cost. Obviously most homebuyers don't share her priorities.
- Rumudiez 10y ago
  Living just miles away from one of the places with the heaviest annual snowfall in the world (Cascade mountain range in WA), I don't know if what I'd call a steep pitched roof is what you'd call a steep pitched roof. There are other considerations to what makes a roof appear large. I'm not an architect, but as a designer I can at least point out that meaningful horizontal rhythm and the creation of positive and negative space through effective use of roof lines, dormers, and chimneys can all help make any practical roof space feel more utilized and be less eye-catching. A good designer or architect can uphold "good taste" while accommodating real world constraints; it's one of the defining differences between those fields and fine art, and a requirement of anyone performing critique.
- Broken_Hippo 10y ago
  I moved to Norway a few years ago. The average roof pitch is more than when I lived in Indiana. However, the roofs generally don't seem that much more prominent than in Indiana. Many are simply proportional - even in the more mass produced housing of the 50's. Examples: https://www.google.no/search?q=typical+norwegian+house&safe=off&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiY29mthezPAhXya5oKHWaLANIQsAQIJQ&biw=1382&bih=771 https://www.google.no/search?q=typical+norwegian+house&safe=...
  - brewdad 10y ago
    When I visited Norway this summer I fell in love with the idea of a roof you have to mow. (You don't really, but I loved the green roofs)
    - Broken_Hippo 10y ago
      I completely understand. I'd love to live in such a place. Those aren't as common in modern buildings, though. The only one I've stayed in was a primitive cabin - no toilet or other running water and no power save for a poorly working older solar panel. I actually asked about the mowing thing - some folks do go up and remove trees that start to grow, I guess, but no mowing.
  - dlubarov 10y ago
    I notice that they're all gable roofs, compared to the hip roofs which the author criticizes. Gable roofs usually look less prominent, since there's less surface area, and it's usually on the sides which you don't see as much as the front of the house. But I think hip roofs are better in harsh environments, partly because they're more stable, and partly because the maximum wall height is shorter, so it takes stronger winds to blow water onto the siding. Are snowstorms and rainstorms not a big concern in Norway? I looked at some weather data and it sounds like certain parts are quite rainy, but less so in the major cities like Oslo, and with less storms than Maryland. Is that accurate?
    - Broken_Hippo 10y ago
- tptacek 10y ago
  No, that is definitely not what the McMansion Hell author thinks. A lot of the criticisms on that site are about ostentatious design details divorced from their functional goals, and on the impact a lot of this design has on energy efficiency.
forgetsusername 10y ago
>which can be beneficial or harmful to the overall appearance You're going to have a hard time convincing me that this isn't a matter of opinion.

dlubarov 10y ago

The thing with roofs is that if you get substantial snowfall in winter, practicality demands a steep roof pitch, otherwise melted snow will drip through the shingles. A high roof pitch necessary makes the roof more prominent. From a reverse image search, the two "more roof than house" photos (both in the 8 section) seem to be from Sandy Spring, Maryland and Gaithersburg, Maryland. In general, the author seems to think that builders should place more value on architectural merit rather than practicality, maintainability and cost. Obviously most homebuyers don't share her priorities.

Rumudiez 10y ago
Living just miles away from one of the places with the heaviest annual snowfall in the world (Cascade mountain range in WA), I don't know if what I'd call a steep pitched roof is what you'd call a steep pitched roof. There are other considerations to what makes a roof appear large. I'm not an architect, but as a designer I can at least point out that meaningful horizontal rhythm and the creation of positive and negative space through effective use of roof lines, dormers, and chimneys can all help make any practical roof space feel more utilized and be less eye-catching. A good designer or architect can uphold "good taste" while accommodating real world constraints; it's one of the defining differences between those fields and fine art, and a requirement of anyone performing critique.
Broken_Hippo 10y ago
I moved to Norway a few years ago. The average roof pitch is more than when I lived in Indiana. However, the roofs generally don't seem that much more prominent than in Indiana. Many are simply proportional - even in the more mass produced housing of the 50's. Examples: https://www.google.no/search?q=typical+norwegian+house&safe=off&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiY29mthezPAhXya5oKHWaLANIQsAQIJQ&biw=1382&bih=771 https://www.google.no/search?q=typical+norwegian+house&safe=...
- brewdad 10y ago
  When I visited Norway this summer I fell in love with the idea of a roof you have to mow. (You don't really, but I loved the green roofs)
  - Broken_Hippo 10y ago
    I completely understand. I'd love to live in such a place. Those aren't as common in modern buildings, though. The only one I've stayed in was a primitive cabin - no toilet or other running water and no power save for a poorly working older solar panel. I actually asked about the mowing thing - some folks do go up and remove trees that start to grow, I guess, but no mowing.
- dlubarov 10y ago
  I notice that they're all gable roofs, compared to the hip roofs which the author criticizes. Gable roofs usually look less prominent, since there's less surface area, and it's usually on the sides which you don't see as much as the front of the house. But I think hip roofs are better in harsh environments, partly because they're more stable, and partly because the maximum wall height is shorter, so it takes stronger winds to blow water onto the siding. Are snowstorms and rainstorms not a big concern in Norway? I looked at some weather data and it sounds like certain parts are quite rainy, but less so in the major cities like Oslo, and with less storms than Maryland. Is that accurate?
  - Broken_Hippo 10y ago
tptacek 10y ago
No, that is definitely not what the McMansion Hell author thinks. A lot of the criticisms on that site are about ostentatious design details divorced from their functional goals, and on the impact a lot of this design has on energy efficiency.

forgetsusername 10y ago

>which can be beneficial or harmful to the overall appearance You're going to have a hard time convincing me that this isn't a matter of opinion.