Mansard Roof Architecture

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.

Mansard roof architecture.

Mansard is a four sided roof with double slopes on each side so its sides can either be curved or flat. The steep roof with windows creates an additional floor of habitable space a garret and reduces the overall height of the roof for a given number of habitable stories. Interestingly in europe mansard can also refer to the attic space and not just the roof structure. If you are not familiar with a gambrel roof then let us first explain its architecture in brief.

Although the style was used as early as the mid 16th century in england and italy and was employed by pierre lescot at the louvre it was named for the 17th century architect françois mansart who used it on paris hôtel s. There is a sort of visible distinction between flat roofs and mansard roofs. Simply put the mansard roof also known as the french roof or curb roof is a hybrid between a gambrel roof and a hip roof. Thus this roof architecture was christened as the mansard roof in his honor.

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. During the baroque period 1600 1750 he used this technique of roofing extensively to create chateaus and grand townhouses which caught the eyes of the people. But you cannot misunderstand them as straight panel roofs. You can consider gambrel roof to be a modified version of a gable roof.

The mansard roof was popularized by the famous french architect francois mansart 1598 1666 who used this distinctive style in many of his works.