In architecture and design, aesthetics is often misunderstood as a matter of visual appeal alone. However, aesthetics is not just about what looks good; it’s about what feels right, what functions well, and what communicates meaning. It represents the intersection of form, context, and intention. Aesthetics influences every aspect of space, from how it’s perceived to how it’s used. It shapes the emotional and functional experience of architecture. When Does Aesthetics Begin? Aesthetic thinking begins from the first moment of conception, even before the first sketch. It guides decision-making throughout the design and building process. Every material chosen, every joint concealed, and every transition resolved reflects aesthetic intent. In minimalist architecture, where every element is exposed and purposeful, this becomes even more critical. When complexity is removed, aesthetics must bear the weight of both design and function. There’s no room for noise, only clarity.

We invited the renowned architect Gloria Cabra l to share her vision of the window, an essential architectural element. In this exclusive piece, she reflects on how openings go beyond their practical function, transforming into portals of light, connection, and new beginnings, revealing the profound poetry embedded in the act of design. Janelar “Airing out our spaces, letting the wind flow through them, creating ventanas (Spanish), making wind’s eyes— windows (English, from vindauga, Old Norse), or pores in the walls, fenêtre, finestra, fenster (French, Italian, German). I imagine this has been architecture’s desire since the occupation of caves, since the first huts, this original yearning for openings. Later, with new materials, the entry of light became possible: sometimes through flattened horns, other times stretched skins or even paper. With the discovery of glass, a new world of possibilities opened. But in Portuguese, the way we name it is different: Janela , derived from Januella, the diminutive of janua A small door, a little portal. Janela comes from the Roman god Janus, the god of beginnings and endings, transitions and decisions, the same god who opens the year in January. So, to imagine a Janela in a project is to express the beginning of something, the start of a landscape, a sky, a light, scents, or new winds. Designing a Janela is choosing what we want to see, how we want to start the day, what light we invite in, and how it enters. Windows are the instruments connecting us to what surrounds the work. And in Galicia, there’s an even lovelier word: Janelar . It turns sitting by a window and contemplating into a verb. To me, Janelar is to open a portal between inside and outside, past and future, memories, and desires.”