A-frames are easily recognized by their triangular shape. It’s the result of bringing down the roof and eliminating the walls, said Brent Campbell, an architect in Asheville, N.C. “They became such iconic shapes for rural vacation retreat-type structures,” Mr. Campbell said.
In the book “A-Frames,” author Chad Randall, an architectural historian and professor at the University of Oregon, notes that A-frames have appeared throughout history from ancient Japan to rural Europe. These structures are sturdy and snow slides right off their pitched roofs, making them attractive in remote, cold areas. Because they were inexpensive and functional, A-frames became a popular vacation-home style in America in the 1950s. Interest in them continues to this day.