Mansard Roof Architecture

Interestingly in europe mansard can also refer to the attic space and not just the roof structure.

Mansard roof architecture.

But the imposing nearly perpendicular roofs were not merely decorative. Well the roof particularly defines the form of art rather than just making an architectural design for functionality. The mansard roof is a combination of gambrel and hip roof. Both of the aforementioned roof types can provide extra attic space or other room without building an entire additional floor.

The popularity of the mansard roof kept on growing in france and became even more fashionable during the reign of napoleon the 3rd 1852 1870. You may not see such roofing style in most traditional homes but they can be easily found in barn houses and similar modern places. A mansard or mansard roof also called a french roof or curb roof is a four sided gambrel style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope punctured by dormer windows at a steeper angle than the upper. In the united states second empire or mansard was a victorian style popular from the 1860s through the 1880s.

Mansard roofs were considered especially practical because they allowed usable living quarters to be placed in the attic. The mansard roof is a hipped gambrel roof thus having two slopes on every side. For this reason older buildings were often remodeled with mansard roofs. Thus this roof architecture was christened as the mansard roof in his honor.

Second empire architecture spread to england during the paris exhibitions of 1852 and 1867. It was widely used in renaissance and baroque french architecture.