Okuzeka
Architecture vocabulary · Building Elements and Structure

Roof

Meaning in architecture, with examples

/ruːf/nounCore term

In architecture, roof means: The top covering of a building that protects it from rain, sun and cold; it can be flat, pitched (sloping) or curved.

In Turkish: çatı

How it is used

Architects decide the roof form, material and drainage early. Common phrases: flat roof, pitched roof, roof terrace, roof garden and roof plan. A rooflight or skylight lets daylight in from above. Roofs are covered, insulated and waterproofed.

Example sentences

  1. The flat roof will be used as a terrace for the residents.

  2. The planners asked for a pitched roof to match the neighbouring houses.

Common collocations

  • flat roof
  • pitched roof
  • roof terrace
  • roof plan
  • roof garden
  • green roofA roof covered with soil and plants over a waterproof layer, which slows rainwater run-off, adds insulation, supports wildlife and cools the surroundings.
  • slabA flat horizontal structural element, usually of reinforced concrete, that forms a floor or roof and spreads loads to beams, walls or columns.
  • thermal insulationMaterial such as mineral wool, polystyrene or wood fibre placed in walls, roofs and floors to slow down heat passing into or out of a building.
  • domeA rounded roof shaped like half a sphere, built over a circular, square or polygonal space; a masonry dome spreads its weight outwards and downwards.

More terms: Building Elements and Structure

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