The sad beige aesthetic: why has the world suddenly turned taupe?

Re:The sad beige aesthetic: why has the world suddenly turne... by GuB-42 on Thursday January 09, 2025 @07:18AM (#42644513)

The reason for tiny windows is more technical. Windows are weak, expensive, offer poor insulation, privacy and security. Modern techniques mitigate this problem: better structure allows for less reliance on walls for support and therefore more room for windows, mass production make them cheaper, double pane glass improve insulation, security and privacy can be dealt with large motorized rolling shutters.

I don't believe the lack of sunlight is the reason for vivid colors of the past. If anything, the colors were darker, though more saturated. Also, while tiny windows did not allow for a lot of sunlight, it is the opposite at night, where modern lighting is much brighter thanks to cheap, powerful and efficient LEDs. Here, I think it is just fashion, nothing technical.

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Re:The sad beige aesthetic: why has the world suddenly turne... by throw0101c on Thursday January 09, 2025 @10:42AM (#42646721)

> Windows are […] expensive […]

I think it's the opposite: glass is really cheap, which makes up most of the window. Less expensive than rebar and concrete and the labour for the form work and such. Certainly the frame can be pricey, but most of the surface area is glass.

So glass is a popular facade because it saves the builder money: CapEx. But of course glass sucks an insulation the other side of the equation is heating/cooling: OpEx, which the builder may not care about.)

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