Photographer Highlights the Incredible Variety of Windows Around the World

Windows are a vital part of any building – they help activate a space and bring it to life. Portuguese photographer Andr Vicente Goncalves pays tribute to this architectural element in his ongoing series called Windows of the World. In it, he documents a variety of colorful exteriors, sills, shutters, and shapes, grouping individual images into large grids according to their location.

Through Goncalves' project, it's clear that there's no shortage of unique facades. Some window frames are fairly standard as white rectangular shapes, but they punctuate gorgeous, repeat-pattern tiles. This makes a bold statement against the busy backgrounds. Other frames don bright colors and visually pop from the neutral bricks and stone. Whatever their style may be, it's a fantastic way to marvel at the creativity of the everyday window.

“I always had a curiosity about windows,” Goncalves writes, “like the structure of houses, they change region to region.” The photographer later compiled the thousands of pictures he had taken and Windows of the World was born. “[It's] a big evolution from the earliest windows that were only a hole in the wall.”

Above: Burano, Italy

Porto, Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal

Ericeira, Portugal

Albufeira, Portugal

Sesimbra, Portugal

The Alps

vora, Portugal

Trento, Italy

Venice, Italy

Andre Vicente Goncalves website
via [Arch Atlas]

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
Become a
My Modern Met Member
As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts.
Become a Member
Explore member benefits