Gabled roofs are as potent a symbol of Americanness as apple pie: The roof typology and dessert are European, yet both are viewed as emblematic of a national domesticity. So it's meaningful that gables are experiencing a revival across North America in new variations and materials at a time when clients and communities tend to weigh each project's social and environmental impact. After years of being viewed (and taught) as a feature at odds with Modern architecture, there seems to be a gable 2.0 emerging. " 'Contextual' doesn't have to be over-the-top traditional. It can completely fit in while still being innovative," says Katherine Chia, principal of New York-based firm Desai Chia Architecture with Arjun Desai. Indeed. And while three examples of that innovation would usually suggest a trend; dozens viewed over the past few years signal an evolu-tion-or at least that there's an encouraging number of firms that have jettisoned binary thinking when it comes to American house styles. A middle ground is cropping up.
展开▼
