Backfill · 2023
#88 of 420Window Seat Alcoves in Buildings
Press shot: A deep window seat alcove in a stone building, a student sitting with legs extended on the wooden ledge, natural light streaming through the tall window, thick masonry walls visible on either side.
Window seat alcoves in the older buildings on campus are recessed ledges about 18 inches deep and 4 feet wide, set into thick stone walls at window height. They're the most fought-over study spots in every building that has them. The design is a byproduct of thick masonry walls from the 1920s. The recess was originally structural, but someone added a wood panel across the opening. The result is a bench with natural light, back support from the wall, and a sense of enclosure that open seating can't provide. I sit in one between classes. The warmth of sun through glass combined with cool stone on either side creates a temperature more comfortable than any climate-controlled room.