Louver facts for kids

A louver (pronounced LOO-ver) is a special kind of window, blind, or shutter. It has horizontal or sometimes vertical slats. These slats are angled in a way that lets air and light come in. They also help keep out rain, strong sunshine, and loud noises. You can often adjust the angle of the slats.

Louvers have been around since the Middle Ages. Back then, they were like wooden lanterns placed on top of roof holes. People used them in big kitchens to let out smoke and steam. This helped with ventilation while keeping rain and snow from coming inside.

At first, these early louvers were simple barrel-shaped structures. Later, they became more fancy, sometimes made of pottery. Some even looked like faces, with smoke pouring out of the eyes and mouth! Over time, they became more like modern louvers, with slats that could be opened or closed with a string.

What Are Modern Louvers Like?

Today, louver windows often have glass slats. You can open and close them using a metal lever. Louvers can also be shutters made from wood, plastic, or other materials. They are a clever way to control light and air in buildings.

How Louvers Help Buildings

Some modern louver systems are designed to improve indoor daylighting. This means they help bring more natural light into a room. Special mirrored louvers can stop bright glare. They can also redirect soft, spread-out light. These types of louvers might even be placed between the two panes of double-glazed windows.

Louvers in Architecture and Space

Louvers are usually seen as a practical part of a building. They are not often the main focus of a building's design. However, some architects use them in a creative way. They make louvers part of the building's overall look.

A famous example is the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. He used different types and sizes of louvers on his buildings. Some were fixed in place, while others could move. He often used wood for these louvers, like in the buildings at the Helsinki University of Technology. Another architect, Juha Leiviskä, was inspired by Aalto's work with louvers.

Louvers are also used in other cool ways. They help control temperature on spacecraft. You can even find them as an extra feature on some cars!

Images for kids

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  Louver shutters in Italy

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  The belfry louvers of Sens Cathedral, France