WINDOWS, (from the Danish, vindue, or the Welsh viva dor, a passage for the wind,) those apertures in walls through which light is transmitted to the interior of build ings.
Windows are generally of a rectangular form, the sides, or jambs, being vertical, and the bottom and lintel horizontal. Semicircular windows have a very elegant effect, particularly in circular buildings, as was generally the practice of the Romans; but those that are finished with segments, or semi ellipses, are not so beautiful ; and much less so are such as are constructed of entire circles or ellipses, for which, few or no precedents are to be found in the buildings of the an cients.
Windows must be proportioned in height and width to the principal rooms. The dressings of windows are the sill, and the insisting architrave, surrounding the upper part, crowned by a cornice and frieze. The breadth of the architrave may be one-sixth of that of the aperture ; the frieze the same; the height of the cornice will depend upon the number of mouldings.
Windows should be so placed with respect to the principal room, or dining and drawing-rooms, as to be equally distant from each end of the apartment, and equidistantly distributed in the principal front, of one size, with their edges or sides in the same vertical lines. This adjustment will frequently be attended with difficulties ; and to accommodate the prin ciple, an alteration of the proportions, in a small degree, will sometimes be necessary. In houses of the middle class, where economy is au equal consideration with elegance or beauty, the windows frequently reach as high as the cornice, or even so high as to cut the cornice, wholly, or in part ; a mutilation that destroys the beauty of the finishing. In such
cases, it would be better to have more lofty stories, or lower windows. In large edifices, %s here proportions are con sidered, the spaces above the windows are more ample, and allow a more elegant finish, with a greater repose the eye. Further particulars respecting windows will be found under APARTMENT, BUILDING, CASEMENT, HOUSE, JOINERY, SASII FRAME, and SKYLIGHT. See also TRACERY, and GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE, &c.
Plate 1. Figure 1.—A, window finished in the usual man ner. No. 1. The No. 2. The flank.
Figure 2. The elevation of a window, where, the thick ness of the wall not being sufficient to allow of boxings, the shutters are hinged upon a hanging st\ le.
Figure 3.—The section of the foregoing.
.Figure 4.—Section and plan of the and shutters of a window, showing the smile finishing, whether the shut ters be folded in their boxings to admit light, or extended to their breadth opal the sashes to exclude it.
Fig ?ire 5.—Plan and section of the lower sash shutters and In)xings of a common window, showing the nature of the work.
the wooden doors by which windows are occasionally closed, or secured. See BOXINGS, JOINERY, and SASII-FRAM E.