Fenestration. From the Latin word “fenestra,” which means window, fenestration is used to describe the arrangement and type of windows is a building. The fenestration of The Gramse apartment building at 22ndand Broadway is varied, including casement, double-hung sash, and fixed sash (in the basement and dormers) windows. There are even some arched openings with windows configured to fit perfectly into the arches.
In 13th Century Prague an angry mob threw a judge and 13 members of the town council out the windows of the town hall. That window-related event is called the Defenestration of Prague. (There was also a 2nd Defenestration of Prague in the 15th Century.) Original fenestration is an important element in a building’s integrity and, while changing fenestration in a historic building might not get you thrown out a window, it probably will raise the ire of preservationists.
The Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission designated The Gramse a historic building after requiring that original windows be retained. The building will soon be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
