A-frames are easily recognized by their triangular shape. It is the result of bringing the roof down and eliminating the walls, said Brent Campbell, an architect in Asheville, N.C. “They became this sort of iconic shape for rural vacation retreat-type structures,” said Mr. Campbell.
In the book “A-Frame,” author Chad Randl, an architecture historian and professor at the University of Oregon, wrote that A-frames have shown up in history from ancient Japan to rural Europe. These structures are strong and snow slides right off their pitched roofs, making them appealing in remote, cold areas. Because they were affordable and functional, A-frames became a popular vacation-home style in the U.S. in the 1950s. Interest in them remains today.