The slanted roof of this house meets the slanted roof of the garage, creating the appearance of a much larger house Extended butterfly rooflines were popular throughout the mid-century period, with the roof a simple tilted plane sloping from a low point of 2 metres to a high point of 3.6 metres. Krisel made an interesting variation on this by pitching the house and carport roofs down toward each other, so they meet over each breezeway. He called this the extended butterfly, and it gave the appearance of an even larger butterfly roof.
Krisel’s butterfly roof design seems to defy gravity, as it sweeps up from a low point near the middle of the house. Here, the low point is centered over the dining area and projects up toward the kitchen and living room, creating dramatic variation in ceiling height and pitch within the same space. The roof is supported on only four beams. Krisel extended the exterior walls at a height of just 2.1 metres and placed a continuous row of clerestory windows between the top of the walls and the roof. The roof literally springs free of the walls, creating a lightness in the home. In the master bedroom, the 2-metre-high exterior wall provides privacy, while natural light pours in through the clerestory windows.
The slanted roof of this house meets the slanted roof of the garage, creating the appearance of a much larger house Extended butterfly rooflines were popular throughout the mid-century period, with the roof a simple tilted plane sloping from a low point of 2 metres to a high point of 3.6 metres. Krisel made an interesting variation on this by pitching the house and carport roofs down toward each other, so they meet over each breezeway. He called this the extended butterfly, and it gave the appearance of an even larger butterfly roof.
Q