#Eaves September 6

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September 2026 several of us are going to take on the 30-Day Architectural Coach4aday Challenge each day, we will define an architectural term and provide examples of where it is located. This challenge will let observation, travel, history, and photography all intersect. For Day 6 it is EAVES.

Parts of America have experienced a summer of weather extremes. While portions of the West have endured drought, parts of the Midwest have been hit with epic rainfall. When it comes to protecting a home from rain, houses with eaves have a built-in architectural weapon. Their overhanging edges help direct rainwater away from the walls, protecting the home from moisture and water damage.

Eaves are the edges of a roof that extend beyond the walls of a building. They protect the walls and foundation from rain while also providing shade and adding architectural character.

Sometimes I have heard the word soffit used to describe this feature. Soffit is part of the eave.

30-Day Architectural Challenge Guidelines

If you have ever watched Seinfeld, you know that George Constanza always wanted to pretend to be an architect.

Well, this month’s challenge let’s all of us that are not architects learn a little more about their language. To do that we have a simple challenge.

Every day we’ll learn one architectural term. Your challenge is to find an example—preferably one you’ve actually seen—and share a photograph, location and brief explanation.

Day 6-Eave

Eaves seem to fall into two general categories.

Open Eaves: Expose the rafters or the underside of the roof, often used in traditional or rustic architecture. 

Closed Eaves: Enclose the underside with soffit panels, providing a cleaner and more finished appearance.