The Window!

The window was an issue as we couldn’t source a piece of glass in the right shape and setting anything into the mud was also an issue. The frame, now covered with mud was also hard to access and cylindrical struts are hard to attach anything substantial to anyway. We eventually decided to continue along our ESD themed cladding selection path and chose to use recycled polypropylene bags, not environmentally friendly in themselves, but better to use them for something than to leave them lying around polluting the place. We opted for an operable window, one that opened (as the material wasn’t translucent). The challenges that this presented were how were:

1. How do we affix the window to the frame while still allowing it to open?

We ended up cutting small sections of fencing wire (approx. 150mm long) and punching them through the bag and the mud cladding and plying them around the aluminium frame beneath, allowing for a circular movement, effectively making them into a primitive hinge.

2. How do we make it as waterproof as possible without using a waterproof spray?

We melted the openings of the bag shut and them taped them over with a foil tape (creating seems), we also layered the bags as much as possible to minimise permeability.

3. How do we give the bag some kind of structure so that it holds its shape and doesn’t pool in the event of a downpour?

To create some form of structural resistance and shape within the bag we inserted between the polypropylene layers the chicken wire that was cut from and previously occupied the window space. This stopped water from pooling in the middle of the bag and allowed it to run straight off. We also applied fencing wire around the edges of the triangular window piece with a small loop of wire extended out the front to allow it to clip down and hold itself shut (refer to photos).

4. How to we stop water from seeping in the sides of the window?

When applying the mud cladding we created raised edges around the window opening (shown in photos) effectively creating impassable hills to deflect incoming water, the window material folded down around these rises to further support this effect.