The delicate mashrabiya has offered effective protection against intense sunlight in the middle east for several centuries. However, nowadays this traditional islamic window element with its characteristic latticework is used to cover entire buildings as an oriental ornament, providing local identity and a sun- shading device for cooling. In fact, designers have even transformed the vernacular wooden structure into high-tech responsive daylight systems. With the development from ancient to modern mashrabiya, the role of the screen has changed from a layer to protect against outside views to an element that attracts the outside viewer.
