The use of digitally activated, variable transmittance materials and artificial intelligence methods to building control will enhance the performance of buildings, and programmable components will change the traditional modes of architectural design, manufacturing and construction. In the presented key study, the architectural form and functionality of windows are revisited with a view to integrate current advances in material science, control systems engineering and human-computer interaction. The features of a building facade, involving a matrix of programmable windows that enables precise control of daylight, view and privacy in the interior of a house are discussed. Managing the variable transmittance materials of the facade by an autonomous high-level control system allows the optimization of the house performance based on real time data and the schedule of the inhabitants. Using constraint violations as a measure of success, the autonomous control of the house outperforms any existing deterministic control models.