There is no one way to fit a roof, and flat roof specialists will use their extensive knowledge and expertise to ensure you find the right roofing style for your project.

This can, in many cases, be a traditional shingle or practical flat roof. They are the norm in the UK for a reason, after all.

However, you do not always need to stick to the norm when it comes to your roofing design (although you may need planning permission for some more ambitious designs).

Here are some truly breathtaking roofing styles and single buildings to seek inspiration from.

Tongkonan

In South Sulawesi, Indonesia, the Torajan people build ancestral homes with a highly unique boat-shaped design that has a considerable overhang compared to the rest of the house, which is relatively small when it comes to space.

There are few buildings in the world where the roof gets so much priority, but given that these homes are meant to house Torajan nobility and serve as an ancestral connection, the design is as much symbolic as it is practical.

Brazilian Leaf Roof

Located outside of Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian Leaf House is a masterpiece not only of beautiful design but due to how its eco-friendly design encourages passive cooling and ventilation, as well as collecting rainwater for us in the house itself.

All that is needed for a beautiful, relaxing and harmonious stay under the flower-shaped roof is a slight sea breeze and the design does the rest.

Casa Batllo

Nicknamed the “House of Bones”, Antoni Gaudi’s second most famous design (aside from the Sagrada Familia, a cathedral that has taken over a century to build) is a beautiful mix of rainbow colours, unusually shaped windows and stonework unlike anything else.

However, its standout feature is its uniquely arched roof, said to represent the back of a dragon, with a rounded spire with a cross said to represent Saint George slaying it with a lance.