the architecture of making do (4): window cages

superficial viewers of taipei’s urban architectures often express curiosity about the prevalence of window cages

why, these visitors ask, are there bars around windows on the seventh floor? are taipei people that afraid of theft?

(in these moments i must remind myself not to roll my eyes or to say, clearly you’ve never made any friends here)

for those who wonder about the window cages, let’s take a closer look

window cages create extra space, particularly for those who lack a porch or balcony
window cages create extra space, particularly for those who lack a porch or balcony

generally, window cages protrude several centimeters–sometimes even a meter–beyond the window. the cages are often appended to kitchen or bathroom windows, places where people are likely to do laundry, or enclose and expand an existing narrow balcony. when people do not have a balcony, the window cages create one with their bars cantilevered outward. the bars may be in plain stainless steel or come in different decorative finishes and patterns. describing these different patterns could be a topic for another blog post! creating extra space for necessary functions, hobbies, or decoration, the window cages participate in the architecture of making do: making life more pleasant or convenient when one has limited space and resources

window cages often function to dry laundry. to understand why, it’s useful to know that most taipei people live in apartments with barely enough square footage for a washing machine and almost never own a dryer. taipei’s subtropical climate, which is humid and often rainy might not seem conducive to hanging laundry out to dry; however, if the window cage is covered (note the roofs over them), available sunlight and air often do a pretty good job. still, without outside space, one would only be able to dry clothes inside–not a particularly viable option. window cages, along with cleverly designed circular clothes hanging implements, provide enough outside space for taipei people to dry their clothes outside a kitchen or bathroom window. this feature works particularly well for those who live in tiny studio apartments, in which the bathroom might also be the laundry room

window cage (3)

but providing extra space for important household functions is not the only good that window cages do. they also create balconies where people can grow plants, adding greenery to both their living space and to the narrow alleys which the cages front. for this reason, we can think of the creative, decorative function of the window cages. people use them to cultivate herbs and lettuce, grow flowers, and display their personal touch and whimsy

window cages not only create extra functional space, they also provide room for personal expression
window cages not only create extra functional space, they also provide room for personal expression

although someone not accustomed to the use of window cages might find them strange, they demonstrate the aesthetics that i have called “the architecture of making do.” living in apartments of only a few square feet on narrow alleys, people use window cages to solve the problem of where to dry laundry, to garden, and to add beauty and personal touches to their living space. for those who say that taiwan has no architecture, i’d like to point out that similar kinds of structures–cantilevered window boxes in istanbul and venice, cast iron work balconies in new orleans to name a couple examples–often attract attention as diacritics of place and beauty in architectural form. taipei might be too wild and unplanned to meet your rather beige tastes, but the window cages of taipei give much delight to those who have architectural interests. that is, they do once one sees them for what they are

window cages delight those inside and those on the street
window cages delight those inside and those on the street

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