In the Maritime Alps, the construction system of straw roofs, specifically, rye straw, which is abundant in the area is very widespread. In Robilante, this technique was coupled with another distinctive construction element: the “natural curved truss”.
Characterized by curved struts that act as tie rods, it is a truss embedded in the masonry of the side walls, it is a typical shape of the thatched roofs of the Vermenagna Valley, which is limited to the upper floor of the entire structure. They are naturally folded struts (these are often trees grown in landslides), which turn out to be a better base for laying straw, which allowed snow to slide well, but lessened the possibility of the straw becoming detached.
This technique is similar to the one called Kruck / cruck by Germans and English; curved struts driven into the ground which at the same time constitute the truss of the roof and walls, so the walls have no supporting function, but only a filling function. Being still widespread nowadays in some British islands, it has been suggested that it is a Celtic technique.
One example remains, recovered at the beginning of the 21st century, in Tetto Snive, below Le Piagge.