Swiss Window Journeys: Architectural Field Notes

A window is an intermediary between our body and the environment: by simply opening or closing, we can regulate air, light and vision. In addition to technological development, climatic and cultural conditions characterize the architecture of the window. The versatile climate resulting from the special geomorphology of the Alps and the geographical location at the intersections of European cultures have produced a wealth of window shapes in Switzerland. The collection of windows based on field research takes readers on a journey through the country and its diverse ways of living and working.

Full-page hand drawings depict the individual windows as part of a complex network of elements and as a place of knowledge. Short texts give insight into the various historical, technological, and socioeconomic conditions of each room configuration. In conversations with Swiss architects, the challenges of window design in contemporary building are addressed. The book introduces the role of the window as a tool for a creative life practice and opens up ecological perspectives for its architectural design.