An Arched Roof House.

Progress, Volume XV, Issue 10, 1 June 1920, Page 812

An Arched Roof House.

The illustration and plans shown on this page are of a cottage with an arch roof built at Eynsf'ord, Kent, England, on a system known as the "Cat-ar," invented by Mr. A. C. Freeman. This cottage gives a good idea of the architectural possibilities of this method of construction, which its owners claim is both economical and substantial. The "Cat-ar" system consists of cinder-concrete blocks, which are cast with grooves, and reinforced with expanded metal. This house is erected in the form of a pure parabolic arch, which carries only its own weight, the joists having their bearing on the end walls.

The foundations are carefully and strongly constructed with a view to prevent the spreading of the arch and adequately support the structure, while

the blocks are held by the insertion of the metal reinforcement, which provides sufficient adhesion to prevent any tendency to slide.

The house is finished on the interior with vertical walls, which form air chambers with the sides of the building, and tend to make them warm in winter and cool in summer. The outside walls are roughcast stucco work, capable of a number of different architectural treatments.

The upper floors are of concrete or timber. The roof is 4 inches thick and the end walls are made of 3 inch and 4 inch blocks with a inch air space.

No rainwater pipes or gutters are used; the water is conducted into channels in the ground, from which it reaches the sewer.

It is said that small houses of this type can be erected in about 35 days, at a cost of about 30 per cent, less than a brick building.