A window is a mediator between our body and the environment: by simply opening or closing it, we can regulate air, light and visibility. In addition to technological developments, climatic and cultural conditions also shape the architecture of the window. The varied climate resulting from the special geomorphology of the Alps and the geographical location at the crossroads of European cultures have produced a wealth of window shapes in Switzerland.

This collection of windows, based on field research, takes the reader on a journey through the country and its diverse ways of living and working. Full-page hand drawings show the individual windows as part of a complex network of elements and as a place of knowledge. Short texts provide an insight into the various historical, technological and socio-economic conditions of the individual spatial configurations. The challenges of window design in contemporary construction are discussed in interviews with Swiss architects.