GRASS ROOFS

Use of vegetation to create a comfortable and efficient overhead condition is shown seamlessly by the Kayabuki thatched roof system in the No Sato village in Japan. In the feudal period, these roofs were maintained and built by the peasants of the village, as this system was simple to maintain and economical to build.006 This roof system has a significantly long life span and provides ample insulation and protection against various climate conditions.007

The University of Massachusetts, Amherst denotes thatch as “a tightly intermingled layer of living and dead stems, leaves, and roots which accumulates between the layer of actively growing grass and the soil underneath.”008 005 | Kayabuki Thatched Roof, Japan