Roofing in Laos

Laos is a landlocked, largely mountainous country along the Mekong. Its best-known roofs are the sweeping, multi-tiered roofs of Buddhist temples, above all in Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage town.

Climate and hazards

Laos has a tropical monsoon climate with a pronounced wet season, heavy rain in the mountains and flooding along the Mekong and its tributaries. Steep roofs with deep overhangs and houses raised on posts are the traditional responses.

Roofing history

Luang Prabang was the capital of the Lan Xang kingdom from the 14th to the 16th century. Its temples are richly decorated with carving, painting and gilding. Wat Xieng Thong, built in 1559-1560 under King Setthathirath, is one of the most complex: the roofs of its main hall (sim) cascade down in overlapping tiers, and small gilded ornaments run along the ridge.

French rule began in 1893. In Luang Prabang this produced one- and two-storey brick houses with balconies and timber detailing along the main street and the Mekong, and a technique of plaited bamboo panels coated with wattle and daub. UNESCO's description of the town stresses the fusion of Lao timber architecture with 19th- and 20th-century European colonial building. In 1928, King Sisavangvong secured French help with the cost of restoring Wat Xieng Thong, and in 2012-2013 damaged roof tiles there were repaired as part of a wider restoration.

Traditional and vernacular roofs

• Temple roofs: the sim of a Lao temple has stacked roofs; at Wat Xieng Thong they sweep down in an elaborate cascade. The dok so fa, a row of small gilded pagoda-like ornaments along the centre of the ridge, indicates the temple's relative importance by the number and elaboration of its elements.
• Houses: traditional Lao houses are timber and bamboo, raised on posts, and sources describe the use of bamboo thatching for the roof.

Codes, standards and regulation

Heritage controls are better documented than general building codes. Luang Prabang is protected under national heritage legislation, including Law No. 08/NA on national heritage (2005); a 12,500 ha (about 30,900 acre) buffer zone was approved in 2012.

Notable roofs

• Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang (1559-1560): the classic Luang Prabang-style tiered roof.
• Town of Luang Prabang (UNESCO World Heritage): wats, timber houses and colonial brick buildings together.

Local roofing terms

• sim - ordination hall of a Lao temple
• dok so fa - ridge ornament of small gilded pagodas

Sources and gaps

Census data, building codes, industry information and other data on modern Lao roofing: published information is limited.