Windows on the Environment

Windows also function fundamentally as environmental control devices. However, the role of the window changed dramatically during the 20th century. Buildings became equipped with mechanical heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems and supplied with great amounts of energy, resulting in the emergence of high-rise buildings with windows that do not open. But now, with the growing demand for sustainable architecture, the role of the window as an interface with the outdoor environment has gained renewed importance. One could say that there is a new interest in architecture that ‘breathes’ and interacts with nature. In this exhibit, you can see how heat, light and wind behave around openings in Japanese houses.