Some Notes on Roofs

If you've been to Palestine, or indeed any Arabic country, you'll notice that most houses have flat roofs. Here, having a flat roof is necessary because you need to store large water containers there in case of summer droughts. Many families have also started putting solar panels on the roof to generate a little electricity too. Flat roofs also allow for the construction of further floors on top, the cheapest way to create more living space.

I had assumed that these roofs, that are so prevalent now, had been the norm for some time. However, the other day I found out that they are in fact a more recent invention. In fact, it is only since the introduction of a certain type of concrete during the 1940s that people have been able to build such roofs. Prior to that, homes would be built in a dome shape, which would keep the rain out. In those days of course, a two-storey building would be considered a palace.

Another interesting feature, which you see on some buildings in the Ramallah area, is red/orange tiles. These have the (presumably unintentional) effect of making the buildings look similar to the houses in the Israeli settlement colonies. However, it turns out that these red tiles were originally used by the British during their occupation of Palestine (1917-1948), again to keep the rain out of the buildings. When concrete made it's way to Palestine, the tiles (being more expensive) were no longer used. However, they are making somewhat of a come back these days, as a decorative feature (i.e. if you're rich, and can't think of a way to spend all your money, then add some tiles to your house).