When given the opportunity, many architects seek to center incredible views as the foundation of their designs. Homesites situated on elevated terrain invite dramatic views of their surroundings. With views like a painting or performance, windows and doors can frame the landscape’s artistry and invite audience participation.

“Focusing and framing views are a central job function of an architect, and so the structure of the house should reinforce that idea of how windows not only bring in light, but they frame views,” says Warren Lloyd of Lloyd Architects.

Going a step further, a window or glass door — from size and placement to profile — can shape relationships with what’s beyond the walls. Windows act as arbiters of the indoor-outdoor connection that homeowners increasingly desire, creating transparency between internal and external spaces. It’s from this perspective that we are sharing some of our favorite residential designs where windows and doors not only frame views and landscapes but invite exhilarating multi-sensory experiences.