JANOŠÍK's pitoresk windows bring back the subtleness of past architecture

JANOŠÍK unveils a new window that looks to the past

when it comes to contemporary homes, a lot of architects and clients look to create bright, airy spaces with massive expanses of glass. czech window and door manufacturer JANOŠÍK is pushing against current design trends with a simple new window called ‘pitoresk’.

‘large-format glass walls will certainly remain an indispensable connection with the surrounding garden in the houses. however, the same attention needs to be paid to smaller windows,’ says JANOŠÍK.

images courtesy of JANOŠÍK

‘pitoresk windows bring back the splendor of a bygone era’

designed to be subtle from both inside and outside, pitoresk windows are small in size and feature a wooden casement no thicker than 50 millimeters. the company’s idea is to minimize the casement construction unlike today’s ‘bulky’ window designs. ‘we have grown used to the bulkiness of the new designs in recently constructed buildings, but they stand out in an unpleasant way compared to their vintage counterparts. pitoresk windows bring back the splendor of a bygone era,’ says JANOŠÍK.

the outer sash of a pitoresk window is removable, meaning it can be easily replaced or taken off, restored, and reinstalled. the windows also feature a simple black handle that’s designed to be inconspicuous and not attract attention.

the window casement is just 50mm wide

‘a smaller window creates a completely different, but equally as strong an atmosphere in a room. an atmosphere that is more intimate. more spiritual. the view is more intense, and so is the amount of light that passes through,’ says designer jakub janošík.

‘from the outside, the building is more picturesque. I began to notice that in the small streets of the lesser town district in prague. likewise, in the john pawson chapel, which is made of wood and where the entire elevated space is concentrated into a small window, the atmosphere created by the single opening is even more pronounced and powerful. some time ago, I bought myself a caravan. a beautiful vintage one from a circus. at first, I thought that i’d replace one of the walls with a large window. but the original small windows emanated so much energy. so, the old windows and latches stayed on, and we set out to create the pitoresk design.’

the small size affords carefully framed views