One key advantage flat roofs have over typical pitched roofs is that they can serve as a functional multipurpose space, and a consultation with experienced expert specialists will help you maximise the value of your roof.

This has been a known advantage of flat roofing for thousands of years, with them being a profoundly important part of Persian, Arabian and Ancient Egyptian architecture.

It took significantly longer for these types of buildings to become ubiquitous in Europe and the United Kingdom, simply due to weather considerations; with more rainfall and freeze-thaw cycles to contend with, much stronger and more advanced waterproofing is needed than in the Middle East.

One of the most influential people behind this change was the legendary architect Le Corbusier, one of the most influential and pioneering designers of the modern world.

Arguably his most famous concept, 1929’s Villa Savoye, was built using the “Five Points” of his architectural approach, one that would be massively influential to architecture as we know it today:

• Ground-level supports and pilotis.
• A functional flat roof.
• An open-plan design with no supporting walls.
• Long ribbon windows for natural light.
• Facades designed purely for aesthetics.

The Villa Savoye was the last building to follow these five points so closely, and the flat roof in particular became a unique talking point, one that would inspire generations of designers from that point onward.

It was an early example of a rooftop garden and terrace, allowing for a space for the building’s wealthy inhabitants to relax and embrace nature.

However, there were issues with this pioneering approach; because the focus had been purely on aesthetics, the detailing was less than ideal, and Le Corbusier’s insistence on not having sills and downpipes that would have channelled rainwater away from the roof contributed to pooling.

This water would eventually cause leaks to occur every French autumn, necessitating expensive repairs due to the damage to a building not designed to be lived in. Ultimately the Savoyes moved out in 1940 due to the German occupation of France in the Second World War, the building being used by both the Germans and the Americans at varying points.

It survived demolition and managed to be designated as a historical monument despite its designer still being alive.

Even if it had been demolished, its legacy lives strong in every flat roof constructed since, whether as part of a Modernist masterpiece or a robust commercial building.