Teulades i ràfecs (roofs and eaves)

What is

The Mallorcan Arab tile roof and its eaves, the ràfec. Sloped roof that protects, provides shade and collects water.

##Com works

• Overlapping curved tile: alternating channels and covers. The water runs through the channels without mortar on the entire surface (per verify local technique).
• The ràfec directs water away from the wall: the part that flies beyond the façade (DCVB) prevents rain from wetting and rotting the foot of the wall.
• Shade: the flight protects the upper part of the façade and the windows from the high summer sun.
• Water to the cistern: in some areas, ràfec also names the edge channel that carries rainwater to the cistern (DCVB, Gandesa and Calasseit; use in Mallorca to verify). See aljubs .
• Under the tile, the porxo: grain and air chamber that insulates the house ( casa de poble ).
• Reuse: in restoration, the old tiles that are useful are saved.

Elements and vocabulary

• teulada, teula, coberta, aiguavés (slope), carener (ridge; to verify)
• ràfec (variants: rafe, ràfic, ràfol…), volada, eixida (DCVB synonyms)
• tile rows or flown rajola (ràfec of two or three rows; to verify Mallorcan term)
• teules pintades: decorative tradition linked to medieval Mallorca (disclosure source)
• porxo, sostremort

History

• Curved tile in Mallorca since Islamic times, according to informative source (to be verified).
• Handmade tile in village teulers: see teules .

On veure'n

Any old town. Ràfecs of several rows in possessió houses and town houses of the Pla.

Stat

• Artisan tiles at high risk due to lack of clay ( teules file).
• Replacement with uniform industrial tiles; irregular color loss.

Why is it design

Cover as a system: water, shade, insulation and facade. Lesson: The edge of the building decides how long it lasts. It is proximity design .

Avui architecture

• In a rehabilitation in Banyalbufar (2017, Isla Architects), painted teules were used on a canopy (worldarchitecture.org; location and authorship to be verified).
• TEd'A : reinterpretation of the construction systems of the Majorcan house, roof included.

For the project

• Atlas: catalog of drawn ràfecs (number of rows, pieces).
• Collaboration with teulers: contemporary painted tile.
• Trades: teules , hydraulic rajoles .

Sources

• dcvb.iec.cat/results.asp?word=r%E0fec
• dcvb.iec.cat/results.asp?word=porxe
• mallorca.com/ca/directori/roofing
• worldarchitecture.org/architecture-news/enhhv/isla-architects-renovates-old-mall

Working text from the Disseny Indígena knowledge base, machine-translated from Spanish.

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