Doesn't this little cottage look like the perfect peaceful spot to get away from it all for the weekend? 24H Architecture recently completed the farmhouse-like retreat in the Netherlands countryside, and if you take a closer look, its roof is rather fascinating. Its wavy form is so precise that it looks like it could be made out of man-made materials, but it was actually constructed of reeds collected just 5kms from the building site! How's that for local?
Cool stuff,
Reed in dutch is Riet.
Reet in dutch is Ass and I don’t mean the animal.
Reed is fairly common here in the netherlands (old farms and new upperclass houses)
http://www.google.nl/images?q=rieten+dak
it’s nice to see old techniques featured. thatching is a bit more upfront cost due to labor and a bit more in terms of insurance as fire damage is worse if it lights, but you get great insulation with your roofing material. i do wonder if this is a cosmetic or insulating roof instead of a functional thatch, as it usually requires acres worth of reeds, and the edges look a bit thin compared to any thatch i’ve worked on or seen.
i do love the sculpted edges of the layers, although it reminds me that i can’t afford decorative cedar or slate shingles.