Windows are more than openings to make life comfortable. They are a vital factor in architectural design, but no single aspect of home planning shows greater change. The same aims and principles of design operate as general guides. The contemporary trends are as follows.
Windows and doors are designed as integral parts of the architectural shell rather than as isolated, ornamented, cutout holes.
Windows are typically grouped in bands, usually horizontal, and when feasible, windows and doors are combined in harmonious units.
Large areas of glass are placed where they serve best small windows are strategically located for balanced lighting and ventilation plus privacy.
Unity and simplicity off effect is emphasized by using as few shapes, sizes and type as possible and by aligning tops of windows and doors.
A less formalized altitude towards the design and placement of windows is also becoming evident, with odd-shaped windows sometimes being placed in unusual locations for forceful design impact.
The design of openings is at least as important from an architectural point of view as the design of opaque portions of the home. Windows are conspicuous day and night, inside and outside. Their thin, smooth, light transmitting material contrasts strikingly with what is around it. Beyond these physical characteristics the fact that enclosed and unenclosed spaces interpenetrate one another trough windows and doors endows them with a unique psychological importance.
Windows are the most common way to admit daylight into a space. Their vertical orientation means that they selectively admit sunlight and diffuse daylight at different times of the day and year. Therefore windows on multiple orientations must usually be combined to produce the right mix of light for the building, depending on the climate and latitude. It is the practice of placing windows or other openings and reflective surfaces so that during the day natural light provides effective internal lighting. Particular attention is given to day lighting while designing a building when the aim is to maximize visual comfort or to reduce energy use.
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