Norwegian Houses With Grass On The Roofs

The grass roofs of norway kaushik patowary sep 15 2010 38 comments norwegians have their own way of going green and quite literally.

Norwegian houses with grass on the roofs.

Its distribution roughly corresponds to the distribution of the log building technique in the. The load of approximately 250 kg per m of a sod roof is an advantage because it helps to compress. Houses with their roofs looking like small meadows may seem a little strange in these modern times but until the late 19th century turf roofs were the most common type of roofs in rural norway. And they come in different varieties.

These roofs are covered with sod on top of several layers of birch bark on gently sloping wooden roof boards. Others are golden and look like they re growing wheat or oats. Some are bright green and almost velvety. They look like hobbit homes or houses for fairies but scandinavian grass roofs are the real deal.

Until the late 19th century it was the most common roof on rural log houses in norway and large parts of the rest of scandinavia. A sod roof or turf roof is a traditional scandinavian type of green roof covered with sod on top of several layers of birch bark on gently sloping wooden roof boards. Norwegian grass roofs the norwegian translation is torvtak which means turf roof.