Guillotine Motion
Guillotine motion refers to the vertical movement of a frame system. This also is a contemporary approach to window and door elements in an architectural production. The word “guillotine” was born with the French physician Joseph Guillotin who is the inventor of a machine that is also named after him in 1789. Although this first original guillotine action was presented in public spaces as a spectacle, you can imagine that it was not something pleasant to look at. Therefore, modern architecture borrowed the phrase and altered its meaning in regard to the analogy of the vertical action and today the phrases of “guillotine window” or the “guillotine motion” are widely used.
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The Benefits of the Guillotine Motion in an Architectural Opening
There are several upsides for selecting guillotine motion fenestration systems in a project. The most appreciated one is the flexibility it provides to a space. In today’s architecture the inside and outside spaces are generally preferred to be configured together. Rather than black and white zonings among outdoor and indoor areas, creating lots of perimeters and confining the movement as much as possible, modern metropolitan people prefer the ambiguity, the surprise element, the bare privilege to be able to decide. In other words, a garden or a patio that can be involved completely to a living room or to a venue is what is desirable in 21st century. Same way an indoor space turning into an oasis is where the modern architecture has set the bar today.
Other than that, one should question the reasoning behind even fundamental elements in todays world. With this rapid evolving technology and human needs, nothing could be taken granted. A window or a door might mean access points to a space in terms of circulation, or natural light or clean air while maintaining security. However human kind does not live in shelters anymore. And the wall has been free from the structure since mid 20th century. Now we have the opportunity to use the façade as we desire. Guillotine motion comes in handy at this point. A whole wall turning into a balustrade for instance, is an architectural wonder. Or a whole glass wall disappearing into the ceiling as if I it was never there. This kind of flexibility in a space is the best thing guillotine motion contributes to architectural design.