Daylight from two sides — every important room has windows on TWO orientations
Susanka — Daylight from two sidesDescription
Echoing Christopher Alexander's Pattern 159: every important room (living, kitchen, dining, primary bedroom) benefits from windows on TWO orientations — not just one. The dual orientation gives BALANCED daylight (no dim back of room), allows cross-ventilation when desired, and creates a sense of being 'on top of' the surroundings rather than 'in front of' them.
Why this exists
Single-side-lit rooms have a dim back wall regardless of total glazing. Two-side lighting is the single most-effective daylight-quality design choice — and a moderate-cost one (you're not adding windows, you're rearranging them around corners). Architects should try to give every key room two orientations.
Categories
Source
Solver enforcement
Browsable only — the solver does not currently enforce this directive (no spec-level data to check against). This entry exists so the architect personas can cite it in conversation and the user can read what the rule says.
Related directives
- Long Thin House · Pattern 109
- Indoor Sunlight · Pattern 128
- Staircase as a Stage · Pattern 133
- Zen View · Pattern 134
- Tapestry of Light and Dark · Pattern 135
Last reviewed 2026-05-15.