Rachel Morris

5 - Design Vignette: Habitat/Aperture

Habitat/Aperture is a glass-free window alternative. Glass is made from sand, which is a finite resource, and since we use it in most of our construction (concrete, roads, windows, electronics, etc.), we are running out. Natural light is imperative to a dweller's wellbeing, so to create glass-free large apertures, we can transition to clear wood (see the linked article for more details). These wood windows have a better insulating property than glass and are shatter resistant while letting in nearly the same amount of light. The extra-deep sill acts as a sunshade, keeping direct sunlight from overheating the home in the summer, but allowing plenty of winter sun to pass through. The windows have a 1/3 pivot location to distribute the weight and allow for easier operation without protruding into the space.

“A glass-free window alternative in a modular, load-bearing assembly.”