Up in the air: Penthouse living gets new meaning

WHILE researching for a penthouse project, Lim Shing Hui of L Architects explored the word’s etymology and discovered that its origins were much humbler than the luxury top-floor suites we think of today.

“Penthouse” has been in use for four centuries, but skyscrapers did not appear until the 1880s. “In the 1300s, the word ‘pentis’ was used to describe a small structure with a sloping roof that was attached to a larger building,” says Lim. “It was a place to keep tools, animals or hay – definitely not for the well-heeled. The word ‘pentis’ evolved and by the early 16th century, became ‘penthouse’.” 

She adds that for more than 300 years, a penthouse continued to refer to a small structure attached to the side of a larger building, and as cities began building upwards as much as outwards, the penthouse moved from the side of the building to the top, resulting in the understanding of the word “penthouse” as we know it today.