Why do window sills have "ears": we tell about their true purpose

Have you ever wondered why there are these strange protrusions on the windowsill? It seems to be no use from them: you can't put anything there, and they take up extra space. It turns out that these "ears" have a purpose, but now they are not used in 95% of cases. Why window sills have such a shape - read on.

As it was before, or rather, until 1955

Windows used to be more complex configuration than they are now. Inside the window there was a lining (inner platband), which was decorated with wood carvings, stucco moldings and other decorations. A window sill protruding and slightly widening to the sides from the window opening complemented the inner platband.

"Ears", as it were, supported the lining of the window. They were an integral part of a single design. Wooden window sills were often also decorated with wood carvings and did not look like a smooth board. Then it looked harmonious and beautiful.

Why was it removed or what does the era of Khrushchev have to do with it?

After Stalin's death I. IN. it was decided to abolish the various architectural excesses that slow down the industrial methods of civil engineering. It was necessary to build a lot of housing, and do it quickly, and all kinds of decorations slowed down the pace of construction of buildings, and also increased the cost per square meter.

Excerpt from a report on the industrialization of construction:

“The outwardly ostentatious side of architecture, replete with great excesses, characteristic of the Stalinist era, now does not correspond to the line of the Party and the Government in architecture and construction. Soviet architecture should be characterized by simplicity, severity of forms and economy of solutions. "

The era of naked functionalism began, which was realized in the Khrushchevs. Whether it was right or wrong is difficult to judge. We received faceless housing of the same type, but in return, millions of Soviet families acquired apartments with all the amenities. Perhaps this was justified by the time and circumstances.

Fight for architectural excesses!

The result of all this was the Resolution No. 1871 of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR, dated November 4, 1955. The Eliminating Design and Building Elimination document ended the era of architectural beautification.

This was reflected in the windowsills as well. They stopped doing the lining around the windows, but left the "ears" at the windowsills. Apparently, they thought that in the conditions of cramped Khrushchev, the enlarged window sill would serve as an additional shelf.

Now we perceive this rudimentary part of the window as a classic window sill construction. Although the "ears" do not carry any functional, aesthetic or semantic load. But, in some places, the inner platbands are still installed. For example, in log cabins.

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