Since the late 19th century when improvements in technology allowed society to explore new aesthetic relationships between windows and buildings, architects have embraced the opportunity to use the window as a prominent architectural statement. In recent years numerous architects of note, including Rem Koolhaas, Shigeru Ban, Jean Nouvel, Richard Rogers and Frank Gehry have experimented with the window and its design potential. Beginning with an introductory history of windows, "Contemporary Windows" surveys over 40 of the finest examples from around the world, exploring the unprecedented range of designs. The context of each window within the specific type of building is examined and the materials, design and construction described. The five chapters - "Blurring the Limits", "Colour and Illusion", "Framed Landscapes", "Public Expression" and "A New Agenda", provide case studies of some of the most inventive domestic, public, commercial and retail architecture from around the world.