A window is a mediating device between our body and the environment: by simply opening or
closing it we can regulate air light and sight. Both climatic and cultural conditions
alongside technological developments shape the architecture of windows. Switzerland's diverse
climate which results from the Alps' particular geomorphology and its geographical location at
the crossroads of European cultures has generated a wide variety of window forms. The
collection of windows gathered from field research takes the reader on a tour of the diverse
practices of living and working in the country. Full-page hand drawings portray each window as
a part of a complex network of elements and a site of knowledge. Short texts offer insight into
various historical technological and socio-economic conditions of each spatial configuration.
Conversations with Swiss architects reveal challenges of window design in contemporary building
processes. The book unveils the role of the window as a tool for resourceful living practice
and suggests ecological perspectives for its architectural design.
