Attic

The attic is the triangular void above the top-floor ceiling in buildings with hipped or gabled roofs. In many buildings it is just storage and service space, carrying water tanks, ventilation ducts or connections for solar systems. With enough height and the right design, though, it can become a study, a bedroom or a playroom. The Turkish term is çatı arası.

Where should the insulation go?

If the attic stays unused, thermal insulation is usually laid over the top-floor ceiling and the attic itself is ventilated like outside air, a so-called cold roof. If it becomes living space, the insulation follows the roof slope, fitted between or over the rafters, and vapour control is handled carefully, a warm roof. Mixing up the two approaches almost always leads to condensation, mould and summer overheating.

Converting an attic into a room

• Standing headroom under a sloping ceiling is limited, so the furniture layout follows the roof.
• Roof windows and rooflights provide daylight and ventilation.
• Stairs, structure and a fire escape route are planned from the start, and the zoning status is checked against the plan notes.

Attics make some of the most characterful interior scenes in visualisation. Sloping ceiling planes, exposed timber beams and light falling through a roof window give a render a warm, intimate atmosphere.