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How do windows provide light, ventilation, and views in a building?

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The Great Court at the British Museum in London features a large central rotunda surrounded by wide steps and a glass and steel lattice roof, with visitors walking throughout the space. — Architecture The Great Court, designed by Foster and Partners, 2000; in the British Museum, London.

In architecture, windows serve as essential functional elements that manage the interior environment through three primary roles:

Light: Windows are the principal means of controlling natural light. Architects manipulate the amount, intensity, direction, and quality of light by adjusting the number, size, shape, and placement of windows, as well as the characteristics of the translucent materials used.1
Ventilation: Windows facilitate natural ventilation by allowing fresh air to enter an enclosed space. Their effectiveness is often aided by the operation of movable sections, such as sliding, double-hung, casement, hopper, or awning forms.23
Views: Transparent windows provide the necessary medium for visual contact between a building's interior and the exterior. Their design is carefully balanced against aesthetic requirements and practical needs, such as privacy and thermal performance.14

Because windows often conduct heat more readily than opaque walls, their placement and design are also heavily influenced by the building's climate and the need for energy efficiency.12