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Jan 28, 2009 16:01

rantI like sash windows ( Read more... )

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carandol January 28 2009, 16:53:47 UTC
Here, here!

For a minute, I thought you were going to say that sash windows were invented by Sir Thomas Sash. But Robert Hooke is good too -- I didn't know that.

I suspect they don't put sash windows in tower blocks to cut down the suicide rate.

I did *almost* move into a tower block once, in Freiburg. But then, it had a balcony on which you could sit and watch the thunderstorms roll in over the Black Forest mountains, which made it rather better than most tower blocks.

They laughed at me in Heidelberg. We were on a long train journey, and when we stopped briefly in Heidelberg, my friends insisted we all get out of the train so that they could laugh at me, then we got back in and carried on. I think the local Heidelbergers were more bemused than amused.

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mr_jez January 28 2009, 18:00:20 UTC
Now *that* tower block scores high for artistic interpretation!

I'm guessing that the Heidelberg gag is obscure enough that no-one is going to set up a kiosk (or maybe a clown?) to support it on the station platform, but who knows what strangeness lurks in the future!

:o)

P.S. I think engineers avoid any opening windows (casement or sash) in really tall blocks because the higher windspeeds at such altitudes tend to mean they you don't ventilate your flat or office so much as subject it to a howling gale, whereas suicide prevention probably comes in as the more important consideration on the lower stories...well, except the ground!

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carandol January 28 2009, 22:31:56 UTC
I now, for some reason, have an image of Marcus Rowland being accosted by sinister German clowns on the platform of Heidelberg station...

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mr_jez January 28 2009, 23:07:52 UTC
A beautiful image, and somehow persistent!

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mr_jez January 29 2009, 15:47:34 UTC
:o)

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sinvokasha January 29 2009, 03:27:01 UTC
Funny, until I went to wiki I wasn't even too sure what kind of windows you were actually talking about.

I'm guessing that might be because I don't think I've seen too many of those around here.

I think the idea over here for institutional buildings is: the harder it is to open the window in any way whatsoever, the less likely that whole -40 degree winter thing will sneak inside. :)

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mr_jez January 29 2009, 15:47:14 UTC
Interesting. I'm guessing, by your comment and the one above, that sash windows are more common on the east side of Canada than the west!

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