40. Alpine Chalets

The Alpine Chalet was originally designed for a climate with cold winters and surprisingly warm summers. Vast quantities of snow was expected and provided insulation for the roof.
Large wooden beams were very popular for the interior.
Not a common style but it appears in surprising places. (This one is in Waterloo, Ontario.)

What to look for (clues)

• The dominating feature is the vast sweeping roof with wide eaves and a few very large supporting brackets.

• The house itself is broad and almost seems to squat on the landscape.

• A wooden 2nd story balcony with cut-out patterns is normal.

• The portion of the facade immediately under the roof may have a wood facing.

• Sometimes the upper story is covered in stucco with shallow wooden 'beams' attached over the top.

Where to find it

I don't have a time period for this style, but most of the ones I've seen would have been constructed after the Second World War.
There is a greater likelihood of finding the style if a number of the local population originally came from the Alpine Region of Europe.