Identifying feature

Flat roof

A roof that is level or nearly level, often edged by a low wall called a parapet. It is standard on modernist buildings and on Pueblo adobe buildings of the American Southwest.

a sign of these styles

Bauhaus Dessau, Dessau, Germany: an example of Bauhaus Bauhaus c. 1919–1933 Flat-roofed white boxes, ribbon and corner windows, and zero ornament. Sixth Street, Austin, Texas: an example of Commercial Vernacular Commercial Vernacular c. 1850–1930 The American Main Street block: brick fronts with big glass storefronts below, regular windows and a decorated cornice above. One World Trade Center, New York City: an example of Contemporary Modern Contemporary Modern c. 1990–present Today's default architecture: floor-to-ceiling glass, crisp panel facades, bold cantilevers, and mixed materials. Ciudad Valdeluz, Guadalajara, Spain: an example of Developer Modern Developer Modern c. 1990–present Plain developer-built houses and apartment blocks: flat or low roofs, rendered or panel walls, identical windows in a grid, no ornament. Greystone three-flat on Emerald Avenue, Chicago, Illinois: an example of Greystone and Two-Flat Greystone and Two-Flat c. 1890–1930 Flat-roofed Chicago two- and three-flats with limestone fronts, projecting bays, and round arches or classical trim. Villa Savoye, Poissy, France: an example of International Style International Style c. 1925–1975 Glass walls hung on exposed steel or concrete grids: weightless, ornament-free, and endlessly repeatable. Casa del Fascio (Como), Como, Italy: an example of Italian Rationalism Italian Rationalism c. 1926–1943 White or stone-clad geometric blocks with regular grids of square windows, sometimes with plain repeated arches. Oia, Santorini, Greece: an example of Mediterranean Vernacular Mediterranean Vernacular antiquity–present Whitewashed cube-shaped houses with thick walls, shuttered windows, flat or low tile roofs, and courtyards. Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Miami Beach, Florida: an example of Miami Modern (MiMo) Miami Modern (MiMo) c. 1945–1970 Flat-roofed Florida resort hotels with curved plans, perforated breeze-block screens, large glass areas and rooftop signs. Stahl House, Los Angeles: an example of Mid-Century Modern Mid-Century Modern c. 1945–1970 Post-and-beam houses with walls of glass, flat or butterfly roofs, and easy flow between indoors and out. New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe: an example of Pueblo Revival Pueblo Revival c. 1905–present Rounded adobe-look stucco, projecting round roof beams, stepped upper stories, and flat roofs. Falowiec, Gdańsk, Poland: an example of Socialist Panel Housing Socialist Panel Housing c. 1956–1991 Long flat-roofed apartment blocks made of identical precast concrete panels and windows in a regular grid, with balconies. Golden Mile Complex, Singapore, Singapore: an example of Tropical Modernism Tropical Modernism c. 1950–1990 Concrete buildings with deep overhangs, sun-shading screens, perforated breeze blocks, open corridors and flat roofs.

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