Capiz shell window

In 19th-century Philippine colonial architecture, bahay na bato houses extensively used the capiz-shell window element. Designed to take advantage of tropical cool breezes, these houses' large windows were built at least a meter high and as wide as five meters. The typically sliding panels with conchas or lattice work (muntins) that would carry the windows' capis panes would be drawn shut when there is too much wind, with the house still taking in daylight during the storm. == Shell sources ==

In the year 2000, there were at least 27 natural kapis beds in the Philippines, the major sources being in Sapian Bay and Roxas City, Capiz; Oton and Tigbauan, Iloilo; San Miguel Bay in Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur; Hinigaran and Pontevedra, Negros Occidental; Mangarin Bay in Mindoro Occidental; and Panguil Bay in Misamis Occidental. == Gallery ==

File:JC Fernandez 4.JPG|A man repainting the frames and muntins of three capiz-shell window sashes. File:Capiz Windows with Grills.jpg|Las Piñas Gabaldon Hall's row of capiz-shell windows with grills File:Camarines Sur National High Schoolmain Building-capiz window.jpg|A Camarines Sur high-school building's large capiz-shell window File:Pulong Kabyawan Agricultural Farm 32.jpg|Bahay kubo interior featuring sliding capiz shell windows File:Capiz shell window, Taal Basilica side tower.jpg|A capiz shell window on a side tower of the Taal Basilica in Taal, Batangas File:Interior, Casa Manila, 2025.jpg|View of a capiz shell window and its ventanilla from inside the third floor of Casa Manila File:Capiz shell window panel repurposed as a portable partition.jpg|A disused panel from a capiz shell window repurposed as a tsuitate == See also ==