They are called "casement" windows, specifically turn/tilt operation, and they do exist in the USA. They are typically more expensive than vinyl double hung, and home builders tend to shy away from anything "different" that might scare away home buyers. That's why you don't see them very often.

But if you want them, you can buy them and have them installed. You can even get them in patio door sizes, but the larger the door, the heavier it is when it tilts.

It's really common for people unfamiliar with the door function to lift the handle and think it's locked, and then a strong breeze blows the door inward. Between the noise and seeing the door falling inward, it can be pretty scary.

Source: I worked in construction in the US with European builders who loved these things and couldn't figure out why Americans didn't.

[–] [email protected] 53 points 5 months ago (3 children)

In Italian and French they are caled "Vasistas", from the German "Was ist das?" (What's that?), it's said they called it that way because the first German tourists who saw those windows in France were confused and kept asking for clarifications on how they worked.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 5 months ago (2 children)

In France, a vasistas is a velux roof window. The windows in the picture have been our regular every day windows for a few decades.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Oh really? My bad then. We call those windows from the pic "vasistas" in Italian, and I was always told we copied that word from the French. I just checked whether such a word existed in French, saw that it did, and didn't ask any further questions.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

I had to check and apparently a vasistas is originally a transom windows and I’ve one on my house front door. It’s the window panel there is on some doors with worked iron on the other side that you can open but won’t allow people from outside to go in. Historically, people didn’t open the full door when people came to their house, just the window part and German would say was ist das?. And when modern velux windows become popular, they were also nicknamed vasistas by older people for some reason? None of this makes sense.

[–] jpeps 2 points 5 months ago

AFAIK we also call them velux windows in the UK.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I want this want this to be real and will not investigate further.

[–] anarchy79 5 points 5 months ago

It sounds so real!

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

vasistas

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/vasistas

its real, though not necessarily the type of window that you described. also exists in Turkish. i have a Turkish colleague who was very proud to explain the origin of that word to us in Germany :D .

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

Interesting. Like I said in another comment in Italian it means exactly what I said. From the first line on the topic on Italian wikipedia:

A vasistas (also written wasistas) is a type of window that is also opeaneable on the inside [...]. The system allows the door to rotate down and the opening is delimited by special stops, called opening delimiters.

But apparently, after reading the French wikipedia page they use that word for something else. So it appears that we did steal the word from them, but used it to describe something different.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

My expensive vinyl double hung windows in my previous house actually had a casement-like feature and I could easily remove either part. I loved those windows; I wish I could have taken them with me.

[–] shalafi 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I have windows like this in America. But you need 3 hands to work them. I'd kill for a simple lever like that.

[–] themeatbridge 3 points 5 months ago

You should be able to tilt or turn from the handle. Is it too heavy to maneuver with one hand?