Shed style
Encyclopedia
Shed Style refers to a style of architecture that makes use of planar angled roofs (commonly called "shed roofs") as opposed to the common gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...

 roof, and a heavy overall use of exposed wooden surfaces. Such structures are often inspired by traditional mountain lodge architecture, but much more modernistic in their execution, typically appearing as a conglomeration of wedge-shaped forms.

The style originated from the designs of architects Charles Willard Moore
Charles Willard Moore
Charles Willard Moore was an American architect, educator, writer, Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and winner of the AIA Gold Medal in 1991.-Life and career:...

 and Robert Venturi
Robert Venturi
Robert Charles Venturi, Jr. is an American architect, founding principal of the firm Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, and one of the major figures in the architecture of the twentieth century...

 in the 1960s. Their works influential to the style would include the Sea Ranch in California (Moore), and the Vanna Venturi House
Vanna Venturi House
The Vanna Venturi House, one of the first prominent works of the postmodern architecture movement, is located in the suburban neighborhood of Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...

 (Venturi).

Beginning in the late 1960s, Shed style architecture experienced most of its popularity in the 1970s, where it was commonly used for houses, schools and small office buildings. The style largely died out in urban areas in the late 1980s, mostly due to the high maintenance requirements of the wooden exteriors, but has remained popular in forested regions.

Characteristics

Clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...

 windows are a common feature, since roof planes are offset and do not form peaks.
Coniferous trees are usually used in the surrounding landscaping, adding to the "woodsy" feel of the architecture. Translucent panels of fluorescent lighting are often seen interlaced with wooden surfaces on interior ceilings.

The style has re-appeared in recent years with the increased popularity of passive-solar designs, because windows are often angled towards a single direction, and the recent advent of vinyl siding which does not weather as wood does.
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