Traditional building methods from around the world are gaining renewed attention from architects seeking innovative solutions to address rising temperatures and climate change. From flowering pergolas in Provence to shaded Spanish patios and Native American carbets, these ancestral structures offer valuable insights for creating cooler, more comfortable living spaces without relying heavily on modern air conditioning systems.
Cristiana Mazzoni, an architect and urban planner in Paris who teaches at the National School of Architecture of Paris-Belleville, has extensively studied traditional architecture along the ancient Silk Roads. She emphasizes that there are "really many very interesting examples" from the past that can make housing more comfortable during intense heat waves. Her research focuses particularly on "courtyard houses, patios, and loggias" that span from China to the Mediterranean basin.
According to Mazzoni, interior courtyards provide cooling through shade and vegetation, and because they are built within the thickness of the building, the sun's rays don't directly heat the walls. "Often, there's a fountain or well that brings water from the depths, which brings even more freshness," she explains. These interior courtyards are characteristic features of Moroccan riads, Roman houses (domus), Venetian palaces, and Ottoman residences with covered central halls.
Continuing along the Silk Roads, architects can find wind towers, which serve as ecological ancestors of modern air conditioning systems. These structures, numerous in Iran, cool homes using natural ventilation systems. Additionally, earth houses made from highly insulating materials are inspiring many contemporary architects. Another widespread example is the traditional Provençal house in southern France, designed to protect against wind and sun, notably through the installation of trellises on the south side.
Jacques Boulnois, an architect at the BHPR firm and professor at the University of Orléans in central France, notes that historical construction methods utilized available materials and adapted to local climates and lifestyles. He views returning to ancestral knowledge as "a renewal of thinking," recognizing that "we can't do everything anymore" in the face of climate challenges and that "we must find a new contemporary architecture."
"Without fuel or electricity, it wasn't easy for our ancestors, but they used intelligence," Boulnois emphasizes. Modern examples of reusing these traditional concepts already exist, such as on Rue de Meaux in northern Paris, where renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano designed a vast interior courtyard in 1991 surrounded by social housing units he also created.
Colette, a long-time resident of the complex, observes "the small difference of 2 degrees between the street and the courtyard" planted with birches and honeysuckles. However, those living in south-facing apartments don't directly feel the cooling benefits of the courtyard. Ilan, a 35-year-old resident, notes that despite this, it "never gets as stifling hot as where I lived before, a 19th-century building."
Also in Paris, in the Chapelle district, French architect Françoise-Hélène Jourda rehabilitated the Pajol hall in 2014, dating from the early 20th century. She integrated a rainwater collection system, solar panels, and a Canadian well (also called a Provençal well) that uses ground temperature to ventilate buildings with warmer or cooler air depending on the seasons.
Despite these promising developments, Boulnois warns that there is "no miracle solution." He emphasizes the need to consider how to make this ancient knowledge "contemporary," as it may not be suitable for all regions. For example, Iranian wind towers rely on "natural ventilation" through air currents, which is "extremely complicated" to understand and exploit depending on the location. The challenge lies in adapting these time-tested principles to modern needs while respecting local climate conditions and contemporary building requirements.
