Metals

One of the most prevalent materials used in Irish rural architecture are the corrugated iron roofs found on barns and sheds. Often left to rust to a beautiful (well in my eyes anyway) sienna, the different stages of rusting are found throughout rural Ireland:

Even in its untarnished state, the grey of the galvanised, corrugated iron is a perfect match for the often grey skies of Ireland.

In our house for Tim Morris & his family (shown below) the renovated roof to the existing cottage was replaced with a terracotta coloured, profiled, steel coated profiled roof that pays homage to traditional rust; whereas the new barrel roofed extension was roofed in a shiny metallic silver (again coated, profiled steel) in deference to a new, shed roof. The different roofing materials are therefore employed to differentiate old from new. The use of the stainless steel balcony and gutters continue this motif.

Both materials are obviously of the same vintage; are highly insulated and although old in ‘style’ are completely contemporary in appearance.

One of my heros of contemporary yet highly appropriate architecture is Australian architect Glenn Murcutt whose architecture combines modernism with an architecture that is entirely ‘Australian’. See how Murcutt below uses steel for both the roof and walls for the Marie Short House (below):

Image from Amazon.co.uk