BUILDING MAINTENANCE

A window can shape light as much as it frames a view. Carved stone screens filter sunlight, wooden lattices provide privacy, and translucent paper softens daylight. Stained glass introduces color, while projecting windows extend views beyond the wall. These nine examples show how geometry, materials, and craftsmanship give windows and screens their distinct architectural identities.

This UFO-shaped house was built in 1969. Now it’s for sale for $1.495 million. Perched on a rocky outcrop near Idyllwild, California, the Donaldson Futuro measures just 793 sq ft (74 m²). Designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen, Futuro homes were prefabricated structures intended to be transportable—even by helicopter. Only about 50 are thought to survive worldwide. Preservation architect Milford Wayne Donaldson rescued this one from demolition after years of neglect in San Diego. In 2004, it traveled up the mountain by flatbed truck and was restored with interiors reflecting its original 1960s design. Today, the house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Photos: Cesar Cid / Imagestate.