Isn't it difficult to picture a house without windows? What windows are to the house, fresh air is to living bodies; and the house, like us, needs to take in freshness. Glass windows bring in much-needed light and air, and they not only allow the outdoors in, but also break up the monotony of everyday living. The window design is an essential component of any structure and serves both functional and aesthetic purposes.
Following almost a year of confinement due to the pandemic, outdoor living areas have grown in popularity and have become enclaves of leisure. Creating a continuous flow between indoor and outdoor spaces has various advantages, including double floor area, enjoying the comfort of greater living space, and availing the psychological benefits associated with being outside.
There are different types of glass window designs available based on the framing and glazing material, location, design, operation movement of shutter, size and shape, climate, etc. But over and above they are the objects of narrating a story of blending the worlds outside and inside. Keeping this in mind, let us look at the different window types that help create seamless boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces – visually, physically, and aesthetically.
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The UPVC sliding window design is one of the most flexible glass window layouts. These glass windows open up with a simple nudge, owing to rollers at the bottom, allowing easy panoramic views. These windows, which are ideal for terraces and pathways, give an aesthetically appealing impact while providing the property with a much-needed facelift. This design of window is often rather wide. The major disadvantage of this window design type is that it cannot be fully opened like a casement window since one side is perpetually closed.
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Fixed glass windows, often known as picture windows, are permanent, non-opening window glass designs that allow light into the space. This basic yet elegant window design gives an unimpeded view of the outdoors and is ideal for brightening up those drab walls. Similarly, glass block windows are frequently used as accents and are frosted or ornamented with a patterned design to give both light and seclusion.
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Glass sliding windows provide simple access to outside settings. Manufacturers of windows and doors have seen an increase in demand for bigger, floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors. When closed these doors protect the home from the weather, but when opened, they expand the inside area by allowing in the fresh air and the warmth of natural light. Sliding glass doors, whether as sliders, bi-folds, or multi-slides, create the illusion of more space in a room without removing any outside area.
Pass-through windows are an excellent way to create a more seamless link from inside to outside and are suitable for small spaces. Installing one of these glass windows design allows users to open up the area while still having the convenience of a window. A pass-through window type helps everyone stay connected to the food and conversation, whether one is having a casual grill-out with family and friends or a romantic supper.
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Bay windows are a fantastic addition to living rooms or kitchens, providing an alluring perspective of outdoor space. They extend from an outside wall to provide a tiny shelf in the house. This sort of window design is typically seen in family rooms and kitchens, where the spacious sill could be used as a window seat or to exhibit plants and pots.
Garden windows are mini-bay windows designed for plants that protrude from the inside of a house like small miniature greenhouses. This window design helps to bring the outside in while also allowing sunshine into your house.
Bow windows, like bay windows, are meant to create space by protruding beyond a building's outside wall - but these are curved in shape and create an elegant arch on the exterior wall. This attractive window type is often bigger than the bay and has greater glass space.
Shiza Christie is an Architect - and Urban Designer, an observer of the phenomenon of time, and forever enchanted by the power of words. These days she spends her time deliberating on urban complexities, its constituents, and placemaking.
