ARCHITECTURE of WINDOWS

Post -by Gautam Shah 
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Windows have originated as very distinctive opening system from Doors. The door for many years served the functions of a window. The specific form and unique functions of the windows were formed over several centuries. The doors, unlike windows had to be ‘grounded’, and that was the most remarkable difference between the two.

In Egyptian temples the openings were tall gaps, shuttered at the bottom for little more then the human eyesight level. Rest of the upper opening was a window for the Sun God Ra to enter. The window required no shutter for that climate. For the colder climates, all windows like openings had to have option of shutting out. Solid wood planks or rugs curtains covered the window. It was either closed-dark or open to winds and cold. 

Windows were placed in the door and beside the door to deal with the unknown visitors. Such windows were subjugated by the identical and often the superior functionality of the door. A window had its own distinctive functional identity only when placed away from a door. It was Palladio, who successfully joined them together. The side-lites, as the window accompanying the door is called, came in as a simplified form after Palladio’s very elaborate composition. Fan lights or Transom windows placed over a door are as old as the arched openings. But in Early Gothic architecture the upper section of the door was an opaque tympanum and the window was a separate entity, like between two columns or as a rose or oculus (circular) opening.

France-Paris Notre Dame

The early wall punctured windows were spaced apart to maintain the integrity of the load-bearing wall, but the windows had to be architecturally linked together by other decorative elements on interior as well as exterior face. On interior front the chauffeuring of the intrados helped window gaps seem to be closer. But on exterior face the windows were grouped by extra bands at the sill and lintel level.

Windows are visually related to each other by placing them in a linear sequence, such as at the base of a dome in Hagia Sophia, Constantinople, or as a planner matrix, such as in Venetian palaces. Windows were placed in repetition of units, or a large window unit was divided by mullions, transoms and traceries. Corbusier has used the brise de soleil to create a surface texture.

An arched window does not allow stacking, unless substantial intervening floor heights are available to accommodate it. An arched window is as tall as its width, forcing one to restrict, the size of the opening, or increase the floor heights. Head levels of arched windows for different widths of openings are problematic. A pointed arch, with its capacity to negotiate different heights allows equalization of head levels for different widths of openings. 

Very tall window openings were suitable for public or religious buildings like church, but openings for domestic buildings were mostly flat headed. In tall buildings the mullions continued in the arched openings, often following the curves of the pointed arch. In domestic buildings, due to smaller scale of the openings, the arches were less common. Flat headed openings were small, and so heavy stone mullions were not required, and instead the divisions were formed by very lean wooden mullions.

Nepal window without glass

Windows of religious buildings were covered with pot and stained glass, and later with grisaille paintings. But domestic buildings for a very long time continued with solid planks of wood as glass was out of their reach. Later clear and colour free glass was used. In religious buildings there were very few open-able sections of the windows, which had very distinctive position, separate from the fixed glass panes. In domestic buildings the windows were part of a composed entity where the open-able shutter itself was glazed.

 

Very narrow or slit windows occur at wall terminations or structural junctions. It presents a darker vertical line during daytime a brighter line when backlit at night time. Lancet windows were used to accentuate the vertical nature of towers.

Rosslyn Chapel UK

Small size apertures are used as windows, when appropriate glazing materials (cost, availability and technology wise) are not available, such as for blizzard prone buildings or tropical housing. Small windows are used for limited view, privacy, ventilation and exchange. Acutely specific purpose and location-based windows are small as these serve a very limited purpose such as for sleeping on the floor, seat level view, privacy, banking or business transactions, safety against falling off and as a social punishment in jails.

Architecturally windows have been used as texture creating or surface modulation unit. Windows are set back from the masonry surface of the wall so create a play of shadows, and help emphasize the depth or the massiveness of the walls. An open gap allows one to view the interior space which is deeply shadowed or shows up the colour furnishings inside, adding a variation to the usually monotonous facade. 

 

The surface of the glazing is very smooth, glossy and reflective of the changing surroundings, makes a very vivid element over the dull, static and opaque face of the building. These aspects are key issues in urban architecture of curtain walls. A window allows one to see the inhabitants of the building making it very ‘lively’. Window treatments on outside or inside personalities a house, such as seen in row houses or public housing. A small window or covered window raises curiosity about the activity or the occupants inside.

A window occurs as a single, few or multiple units over a facade. As a single unit it creates a focus, which may be dwarfed by the scale of the monotonous masonry surface. To emphasize the window many architectural elements are appended to the window face, such as pediments, Chhajjas, side columns, pilasters, cornices, etc. Few windows over the facade form linear patterns by their one to one relationship. Balanced patterns mark a stable architectural entity like with historical monuments. Few windows, each different from the other and with unique settings reveals the multi functionality of the architectural entity or poor planning. Such windows often have few common elements and some distinguishing features based on orientation, location, floor level, interior space usage and neighbouring elements. Multiple windows are marks of public spaces. Multiple windows due to their consistency provide a sobriety in chaotic urban setting. Multiple windows of different sizes and forms are grouped under a larger entity like an arch, overhang or brise de soleil (Corbusier in Chandigarh). Multiple windows in regimented form represent industrial production and simplicity. A curtain glass wall is essentially a wall that serves many functions of a window. 

Chandigadh India Le Corbusier Architecture of Windows

One of the ever increasing purposes of a window has been view out. These are now available from the modern window. 

1. A view unhindered by clutter of mid-members like mullions and transoms. 2. A view unrestricted in scale by the size of the glazing material. 3. A view unaffected by the colour tinge or impurities. 4. A view unaffected by the glare or shimmer. 5. A view that is one way or private. 6. A window singly curved and doubly curved to enhance the quality of view.

 The view-out functions are achieved at a great cost, but available up to a certain depth within a building. Inner areas are cut off from outside. A very efficient glazed building has to depend on HVAC means for climate control. A glazed entity cuts off the fresh air, odours, the varying external atmospheric conditions, sounds and noises of nature and surroundings. A glazed entity is a consistent reminder that inside is a restricted world, but outside even though not benign offers surprises. The architecture in coming years will be addressing these issues, with new forms of windows and perhaps architecture itself. 

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