PH
Architecture can deliberately control what you see beyond the building.
Courtyards, arches, windows, and openings can act like visual frames, turning portions of the sky or surrounding landscape into carefully composed views.
The effect can change throughout the day as sunlight, clouds, and shadows move.
Some architectural spaces therefore function almost like enormous picture frames.
The “artwork” outside is constantly changing, while the architecture remains fixed.
This is one reason architects sometimes describe views and sightlines as important parts of a building's design.
A wall doesn't always exist to block the outside world—it can also be used to select exactly which part of the outside world you see.
© Getty Research Institute