seven

ROOFSCAPES
and of Historic Buildings

City of Cape Town Heritage advice pamphlet 7

June 2005 ISBN 1-874924-87-2

in Heritage Areas
7
DORMERS & SKYLIGHTS

NEW DORMER FITS HOUSE IN SIZE AND SIMILAR DETAILING.

✓ ALSO DOES NOT COMPETE WITH OLD GABLE.
DORMER WINDOWS, GABLE WINDOWS AND
SKYLIGHTS
The following are guidelines for the design of dormer windows and
skylights:

• Dormer windows can be built into the roof or built up from the
exterior wall or can start partially below the eaves line. Whichever
method is used, the alterations should be sensitive to the existing
roof, which should retain its importance.

• Certain pitched roofs may, however, not be able to accommodate

✘ dormer windows for example, the roof pitch may be too low to
comply with legal minimum floor to ceiling heights. Changing the
height of the main roof may give better internal space than too
many new dormer windows.

• To reduce the scale and impact of dormer windows on a roof, they

should not exceed 1,5 m wide for larger roofs or 1,2 m wide for
smaller roofs. Dormer windows should not extend up to the apex of
DORMER WINDOWS & CONTRUCTION
the roof and should remain subsidiary to the main roof.
TOO LARGE AND OVERPOWERS ROW OF COTTAGES
• The number of dormer windows or skylights should be restricted
to avoid crowding the old roof with too many openings, and to
allow “breathing” space for other roof elements such as chimneys,
gables and turrets.
✓ NEW DORMER FITS SIZE AND DETAILING OF EXISTING ROOF

• Dormer windows should be matching in size and style and be

evenly spaced.

• Dormer windows can highlight important elements of the house for

example, they can be placed over front doors or above bay windows.
The layout of the existing building will give clues about how this
could be done.

• Existing, original roof elements such as fascias, timber fretwork and

finials should be protected, restored and replaced after fitting new
dormer windows.

✘ • Small windows serving the roof space can be placed in gable walls.
Proportionally they should not be bigger than a quarter of an
existing window below.

• Skylights work best when not very visible from the street.

ROOF MATERIALS AND COLOUR

DORMERS ONLY DEAL WITH INTERNAL FUNCTIONS.
DORMERS UNSUCCESSFULLY HIDE DOUBLE-STORY FUNCTION
Materials and detailing should match those of the existing buildings
or interpret them in a contemporary manner. The following are
considerations in the choice of materials and colours:
CONTEMPORARY CORRUGATED IRON ROOFING.
NEW ROOFS

✓ SIMILAR SCALE TO EXISTING HOUSES. FITS INTO

CONTEXT WITHOUT COPYING ANY STYLE
• Slate, tiles, corrugated iron and thatch are typical materials found
in Heritage Areas and have their own inherent natural colours, for
example dark greys or terracotta.

• Different kinds of roofs could have different materials for example,

the main roof could be slate, and the verandah roof could be
covered in corrugated iron.

• Corrugated iron should be used rather than commercial ribbed

metal sheeting for main roofs and light weight materials like timber
or glazing should be used for the cladding of dormer windows.

✘ • Corrugated iron roofs should be painted in sympathetic natural

colours such as shades of grey or deep green to prevent glare.
Bright primary colours should be avoided. White or very light
colours are reflective and can cause disturbance to neighbours.

FLAT AND LOW-PITCHED ROOFS

Low-pitched roofs screened with parapets are common in older
INAPPROPRIATE NEW BUILDING. DESIGN
AND ROOF UNCONNECTED TO SCALE OF CONTEXT residential areas of Cape Town such as de Waterkant, Bo-Kaap,
Woodstock and Observatory.
As a guide:

• The parapets are often decorated with plaster cornice mouldings,

DECKS

ROOF OF GARAGE DESIGNED AS PERGOLA ‘OUTSIDE ROOM’.

✓ FITS THE SCALE OF THE HOUSE AND RELATES TO THE STREET
which should be retained and repaired if necessary. New buildings
should be provided with new mouldings which are simpler than the
historic mouldings.

• In certain instances an addition of another floor should be set back

behind the parapet to reduce its impact on the street and maintain
the original roof line.

ROOF DECKS AND ENTERTAINMENT DECKS

In certain historical areas, timber decks extending out from buildings

✘ have little historic precedent and can easily disrupt the relationship
between the street and the building. In some circumstances covered
stoeps and verandahs, integrated into the overall building design are
typical for enjoying views and the outdoors and should be used in
preference to a deck.

As a guide:

TIMBER DECK OUT OF SCALE • When portions of a roof are removed in order to create an outdoor
WITH REGARD TO HOUSE & STREET area, care needs to be taken to preserve the overall character and
shape of the roof.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PROPERTY OWNERS • Where the Zoning Scheme permits a rooftop to be used as a deck
without overlooking the neighbours, it should be designed to have
If your property is situated in a Heritage Area, your building is older than 60 years or you believe the least visual impact possible.
it may have heritage value, it is advisable to discuss your proposals in sketch form with your Local
Planning and Environment Office and particularly with the Heritage Resources Section, who will
advise you about any regulations that might impact on your proposed building work.

The officials of the Heritage Resources Section also advise architects and designers on appropriate
Contact details
designs for Heritage Areas and Historic Buildings. Other Heritage Advice pamphlets in this series Environmental Management Section
include: Heritage Resources Section
Heritage Advice Pamphlet No. 1 Heritage Resources
PO Box 4518
Heritage Advice Pamphlet No. 2 Heritage Areas Cape Town 8000
Heritage Advice Pamphlet No. 3 Cultural Landscapes and Historic Vegetation
Heritage Advice Pamphlet No. 4 Design Guidelines for a Heritage Context
Heritage Advice Pamphlet No. 5 Boundary Enclosures in Heritage Areas and to Historic Buildings
Tel (021) 400 3912
Heritage Advice Pamphlet No. 6 Garages and Carports in Heritage Areas and for Fax (021) 425 4448
Historic Buildings E-mail: [email protected]
Heritage Advice Pamphlet No. 7 Roofscapes in Heritage Areas and of Historic Buildings
Heritage Advice Pamphlet No. 8 Security in Heritage Areas and for Historic Buildings
Heritage Advice Pamphlet No. 9 Langa Heritage
Heritage Advice Pamphlet No.10 Company’s Gardens

Contact details tel. (021) 400 3912 fax (021) 425 4448 email: [email protected]

HERITAGE BROCHURE X7 1 10/13/05, 9:45 AM

 TYPICAL ROOFSCAPES
✓ FREESTANDING HOUSE WITH APPROPRIATE SCALE DORMER WINDOWS

INTRODUCTION
Roofscapes contribute greatly to the character of Heritage Areas and
historic buildings. Changing the shape, form or materials of any roof
needs to be done with care, so that the character of the individual
buildings as well as the streetscape can be conserved.

This Heritage Advice pamphlet advises on the care designers need to

take when planning new roofs or alterations and additions to existing
✘ roofs within Heritage Areas, or historic buildings outside of Heritage
Areas.

REGULATIONS
Heritage resources and Heritage Areas are protected by law at local,
provincial and national levels:

BARN-STYLE ROOF INAPPROPRIATE IN HERITAGE AREA • At local level, the Zoning Schemes applicable to particular parts
of the City define property rights and areas of special character. In
certain areas the Zoning Scheme provides for the management of
new development work, alterations and additions to the built
fabric as well as the protection of mature trees and hedges.
✓ BO-KAAP: TYPICAL PARAPET WALLS OF OLD CAPE TOWN

• At local, provincial and national level, the National Heritage

Resources Act (No. 25 of 1999) provides for the conservation and
management of heritage resources and empowers society to assist
in this management. This Act is administered by the South African
Heritage Resource Agency (SAHRA) at at national level and
Heritage Western Cape (HWC) at provincial level. Local Heritage
Areas and related aspects of heritage resources are administered by
the City of Cape Town.

• New roofs and alterations to existing roofs may be affected by

legislation governing bulk, setbacks, overlooking features,

✘ obstruction of views and height restrictions.

DESIGN CONTEXT
If a roof is designed in such a way that it addresses both the
requirements of the owner as well as the particular character of
the surrounding built environment, it will add value to both the
environment and to the owner’s property.
HOUSE TOO WIDE FOR GABLED ROOF. GABLE
WINDOW TOO LARGE AND SIMILAR TO GROUND-FLOOR
As a guide:

• Historic buildings in the Heritage Area are most likely to express the

✓ TYPICAL GABLED ROOFS OF VICTORIAN TERRACE HOUSING. architectural character of the area and should be used as precedents
in the design of roofs.

• Roofs or alterations to roofs which are unsympathetic to the

character of the particular Heritage Area will generally have been
built before the identification of the area as a Heritage Area and
should not be used as precedent.

• Cities are living entities and change over time. The Heritage
Resources Section of the City of Cape Town will support proposals
which are contemporary in style or use modern materials, provided
that they are contextually sensitive, and maintain or enhance the
character of the Heritage Area (see Heritage Advice Pamphlet No. 4:
✘ Design Guidelines for a Heritage Context).

GENERAL DESIGN APPROACH

Scale, proportions, bulk, massing and levels of detail of roofs need to
be consistent with the existing building/s and the street and reinforce
the historic precedent of the Heritage Area.

LARGE WIDELY-SPACED DORMER WINDOWS DOMINATE ROOF Some useful questions for the designer to ask are :

• What is the predominant roof type in the area? Are there flat roofs
with parapet walls? Are the roofs hipped or gabled? Are the roofs
NEW ROOF ADDITIONS

✓ NEW ROOF EXTENTIONS IN SCALE & SIMILAR TO OLD ROOF asymmetrical, iron metal hip roofs as are found on Victorian terrace
houses?

• Are there generally stoeps or verandahs in the area? How are they
roofed? Does the pitch on the verandah roof differ from the pitch on
the main roof?

• What materials and colours are generally used?

• What are the predominant roof pitches, heights and widths of roof
and/or of dormer windows?

• How have the roofs of the historic buildings been designed to avoid
✘ the unnecessary obstruction of views and sunlight penetration to
the neighbours?

• Determine your space requirements. Must the whole roof be

removed and a new floor added, or can the existing roof space
accommodate the spatial needs? Sometimes it is very difficult
to add on or change an existing roof without major remodeling or
redevelopment.

LARGE WIDELY-SPACED DORMER ROOMS DOMINATE ROOF

NEW ROOFS
The following are guidelines for new roofs and double-storey
ROOF EXTENDED PARTIALLY, RETAINING CHARACTER OF OLD ROOF
✓ EXTENSION REINFORCES SYMMETRY OF EXISTING HOUSE AND ROOF
additions:

• Generally it is advisable that the design of the roof of a double-storey

addition follows the pattern of the roof of the original building.

• Alternatively the design of the roof could follow predominant

patterns in the area for example, if the area generally has a tiled hip
roof at a certain degree, try to emulate this pattern.

• Reduce the height and visual impact of the new double-storey

extension and be aware of the historic roofscapes and patterns.

• Avoid roofs that are totally different to the ones in the

✘ neighbourhood for example, steep mono-pitches, high gable walls,
flat concrete roofs, barrel vaulted or barn-shaped roofs.

PARTIAL ROOF ADDITIONS

Sometimes owners want to remove part of the roof. This is generally
difficult to resolve satisfactorily as too little remains of the existing roof
EXISTING HOUSE DEGRADED BY SECOND FLOOR and the existing and new roof do not present a unified design.
EXTENSIONS DORMER TOO LARGE, UNSYMPATHETIC TO HOUSE
These additions do not fit easily into the existing urban fabric. As a
guide:
NEW DORMER POSITIONED TO REINFORCE STRONG
✓ SYMMETRY OF HOUSESIZE AND DETAILING FOLLOW EXISTING GABLES. • Retain as much of the original roof as possible by keeping the
extension small, so as to reduce the impact on the existing &
surrounding buildings.

• The old roof should remain the important element. Avoid an

extension that will reduce the existing roof to a “skirt” around the
addition.

• Let the existing building give you clues where to place the extension
so that the integrity of key heritage elements is strengthened and
retained.

✘ • If a building has a strong axis, work with this feature. New parts of
the roof should respect such a dominant feature.

• Avoid placing new flat viewing decks over existing building roofs.
Verandahs or decks if required, should be concealed behind the roof
line.

ROOF ADDITION NEGATIVELY AFFECTS THE EXISTING

GABLE AND HOUSE. WRONG POSITION AND DETAILING

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