We just got to Halifax, Nova Scotia. And during our first bike ride thru the neighborhood we are staying in, a new housing typology, at least to us, came immediately into focus. This house form has the following characteristics:
-rectangular plan
-VERY low slope gable roof
-the ridge runs transversely, rather than longitudinally
-two story
The top left photo shows the purest example that we were able to find. And then, as the other photos show, there are all sorts of variations that have been applied, including:
-front porches
-back shed extensions
-bright colors
-stucco cladding
-bay windows
As the bottom right photo shows, the form lends itself to contemporary materials. In this cladding, it looks quite sleek and modern.
What we really like about the form is the efficiency. It is a sleek box with no wasted volume for the roof segment. We only hope that on the second floor, the ceiling follows the roof slope, rather than having the typical flat ceiling.
We did a brief search into Halifax housing types, and a compendium did not immediately surface. We are sure that historians have given this type a name. The basic form has the same purity of a New England Saltbox. So, we have given this typology the at least temporary moniker, Halifax Salt Shaker.