This book is a fascinating collection of roofs, from the most classical to the most avant-garden, all of which lend style as well as functionality to the buildings they crown. A far cry from merely acting as the final covering of a structure, roofs can define the personality of the architecture as well as providing a multitude of interpretations, not just limited to their task of giving shelter from the elements. The aim of this book is to provide a thorough, up-to-date study of trends in roof design, according to their type, materials used, and the respective characteristics they provide. Works by leading architects are included, as well as some by up-and-coming new talent, all of them fully illustrated with plans and building details which help to give a better understanding of the enormous range of possibilities that exist in roof design in contemporary architecture.