Double Roof Architecture in Tainan: The Innovative Design of Double Roof House by Studio Tngtetshiu

A Contextual Response to Heritage and Function

Located in Tainan, Taiwan, the Double Roof House by Studio Tngtetshiu exemplifies how double roof architecture can become a tool for resolving functional complexity while creating a powerful architectural dialogue with its historical surroundings. This new mixed-use complex—comprising a residence, warehouse, and playground—stands adjacent to a 60-year-old red-brick church, a structure the studio had restored a year earlier as the "Church of Church." Together, the two buildings engage in a conversation across time and material expression.

Blending Contrasts: Steel and Brick

While the church represents the solid and grounded nature of traditional brick construction, the new building introduces a lightweight steel structure. The architects deliberately juxtapose these two materials to reflect both the evolution of architectural technology and the programmatic split within the project. This architectural dialogue highlights the contrast between old and new, weight and lightness, permanence and adaptability. The result is a structure that serves as both a residence and a warehouse, unified yet distinct in their spatial identities.

Forming a Cohesive System Through In-Between Space

The design centers on an undefined “in-between” space aligned with the central axis of the church. This space is not merely a corridor or void; it serves as a transitional threshold that links the various building components without sacrificing autonomy. Each functional zone—residential, storage, and recreational—is physically and symbolically connected through this shared architectural rhythm, made possible by the double roof system that spans across and within the volumes.

The Double Roof Expression

True to its name, the Double Roof House is structured by two sets of double-sloped roofs, giving the impression of multiple overlapping houses. This design both references the ad-hoc nature of rural iron-clad homes and establishes a new architectural typology. The double roof does more than offer formal identity—it also creates additional height and ventilation, while forming spatial pockets that modulate openness and privacy. The layered roofs act as a unifying gesture, bringing cohesion to the independent elements below.

Architectural Fragments and Church References

Key architectural elements within the Double Roof House borrow from the language established in the Church of Church. Fragmented openings of varying dimensions and placements offer selective glimpses to the outside, enhancing light while preserving privacy. These perforations in the facade maintain a visual rhythm and invoke the symbolic thresholds seen in ecclesiastical architecture, further blurring the boundary between sacred and domestic, utility and aesthetics.

Interior and Spatial Fluidity

Inside, the spaces are functional yet emotionally resonant. Wood, light, and proportion guide the user experience. The residence is not simply a place to live, nor is the warehouse merely a place to store—each is enriched by thoughtful design interventions that elevate their everyday use. The multiplicity of rooflines and ceiling heights subtly demarcate zones and promote flexibility, encouraging users to interact with the space intuitively.

A Contemporary Rural Identity

By embracing the familiar silhouettes of Taiwan’s rural construction and embedding them with contemporary detailing and function, the Double Roof House asserts a new model for double roof architecture. It honors its past, respects its neighbors, and redefines how architecture can serve overlapping and evolving functions without losing coherence or emotional depth.

All Photographs are works of Studio Millspace