The sash window is a common sight in many homes across the world. What may surprise you is that there is some debate over where the sash window comes from. Who invented the sash window and what is its origins?
Where the debate stems from is from who was the first to create a window with a sash. The idea has remained roughly the same throughout the years, a window with a wooden frame that opens and shuts. In theory, this type of window will let more light in while at the same time shielding the occupier from the weather.
Some people say that the first sash windows were made in Europe. It is sometimes said that the first place they were used was in France. Others maintain that they were first used in Holland or Spain. What is certain is that the design was refined by an Englishman and it was popularized by an English inventor.
Robert Hooke was a scientist with various interests. He was a biologist, a physicist and an architect. He was interested in clock making, developing the spring mechanism that is found in most modern analogue clocks and watches. Crucially he was also interested in the effects of gravity and the properties of glass. These studies turned out to be very useful indeed!
Robert Hooke could easily be described as a Renaissance man. While he may not have been as artistic as Leonardo Da Vinci, he was a biologist, a physicist and an architect. It was this combination of talents that would help him further develop the sash window. Robert Hooke had numerous interests in his chosen fields. He looked closely at the effects of gravity and was also interested in clock making and the property of glasses. When you look at a sash window it is easy to see his influence.
It was around this time that we have recorded evidence that stately homes in England used this sash window design. This was then later exported to America during the Colonial era. It is still in use today and remains popular. As people buying homes look for rooms that let in plenty of light, the sash window still has an important role to play.
The design of the sash window that he helped create was first recorded in stately homes at the time. It was exported to America during the Colonial era and has remained popular ever since. The materials may have changed, with sturdy aluminum or vinyl in the place of wood. Regardless of Who invented the sash window and what is its origins we have Robert Hooke to thank for its current incarnation.
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