Practical and ecological -- the grass roofs in the Faroe Islands, a remote archipelago halfway between Scotland and Iceland, are the most conspicuous element of the local architecture.
Houses have been built like this for more than 1,000 years, providing protection from rain and thermal insulation. Though challenging to maintain (yes, they need to be mowed), in a place with 300 rainy days a year and average wind speeds exceeding 15 mph, that kind of weather-proofing is key.
Tarred wooden staves have replaced the old stone walls, as seen on this farmhouse in Kirkjubour, one of the oldest inhabited wooden houses in the world. It dates to the 11th century and for nearly 500 years has belonged to the Patursson family.
Edges of the grass roofs are formed from a vertical stave or a log hooked to the roof. Additional sealing can be made using birch bark. Grass is laid in prepared, cut pieces and keeps growing once on the roof.
The Nordic House, a national cultural center opened in 1983, also sports a grass roof. The custom of topping houses in such a way used to be common to the whole Scandinavia, but it survives to the largest extent in the Faroe Islands.
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