What is wrong with this picture?

Have you spotted all the anomalies? If not, let me provide a clue: the image has three peculiarities. Let's start with the most glaring one. Firstly, observe the scaffolding above the entrance extending away from the building. Typically, scaffolding surrounds a building to provide a platform for exterior work. However, this scaffold protrudes perpendicularly from the wall, extending roughly 10 meters from the building. Why?

Alright, that was easy. Now, let's move to something more challenging: on the upper floors, some windows appear peculiar, lacking the typical transparency/reflexivity of glass, but still exhibit a greenish tint. For instance, look at the fourth "window" from the right on the sixth floor and the fifth "window" from the right on the eighth floor. Do they look like the windows around them, or do they seem to be coloured fibre or plywood boards— an unusual choice for window material?

During my recent visit, I noticed the absence of the familiar wooden hue of plywood that had adorned those windows for years. Initially, I thought, for a brief moment I thought to myself, maybe they have finally done the right thing and replaced the missing windows. However, upon closer look, I observed that some "windows" lacked the expected glossiness of glass. And what's with the unsightly scaffolding?

The relation between the boarded windows and the scaffolding might only be apparent with context. Two windows on the sixth and eighth floors were dislodged by strong winds and tumbling down near the entrance. One shattered a concrete paving stone below, while the other damaged a parked car — fortunately, no casualties resulted from these incidents amidst the fierce winds.

Before the onset of COVID, my wife and I leased an apartment on the building's 18th floor. I distinctly recall a night of intense winds when the window's locking mechanism failed, necessitating urgent repairs to secure the windows shut.

What's the underlying issue here? Multiple hypotheses could be proposed, with one suggesting that outward-opening windows in a high-rise may not be ideal, especially considering prevailing wind patterns. I've seen plastic bags soaring up to 30 meters in the air, indicating strong upward drafts. The window locking mechanisms might also be poorly designed, inadequate, or worn out.

Rather than addressing the root cause—a known issue for several years—the solution seems to be to disguise the problem. Chipboards painted in a greenish hue resembling windows may deceive the untrained eye, while a boarded scaffold is erected to shield individuals from potentially falling windows.

My recommendation to the management company is to rectify the window problem promptly, as they pose a significant safety risk. And for someone thinking of buying a penthouse flat for £1 million, do budget for a builder's helmet or two in case you want to go outside while it is windy.