While facing weather conditions similar to ours and without modern tools to address them, ancient architecture turned out to be far more durable than contemporary buildings. Because ancient civilizations designed structures to specifically adapt to their environments, they were able to employ techniques that maximized natural resources like wind and sunlight, according to Tiredearth.
PBS also reported that they often utilized passive cooling and heating techniques. This means reducing the need for modern energy-intensive systems like air conditioning and heating, which can lower energy consumption and costs.
Now, with extreme climate change that worsens the earth's warm level, we can learn a thing or two from ancient architecture.
5 Ancient Architecture Techniques to Keep Homes Cool Without Modern Air Conditioning
Research has shown that most modern architecture relies heavily on energy-intensive systems, such as air conditioning and artificial heating, often with large expanses of glass that may become untenable under the rising temperatures and unpredictability of the new climate.
Most modern designs have ignored passive ways of achieving energy efficiency and may therefore be highly vulnerable when power outages occur or energy cost surges.
Now, these top 5 best ancient architecture techniques incorporated time-tested methods that constructed more resilient and environmentally friendly structures to withstand the challenges of today's climate conditions.
(Photo : NASA / Wikimedia)1. Sumerian's Thick Walls Yet Small Windows
According to PreventionWeb, Sumerians were designing thick-walled houses with small windows that reduced heat exposure, and allowed indoor temperatures to stay cool. These materials absorbed heat during the day and released it at night.
(Photo : Wikimedia Commons)2. Ancient Egyptian's Wind Catchers
The Egyptians used a cooling system called "mulqaf," comprising a high opening to capture the wind and funnel it down toward the cooling of the building. This Windcatcher concept is still practiced today in sections of the Middle East and Central Asia.
(Photo : Wikimedia Commons)3. Ancient Puebloan's Solar Coordination
As shared by Live Science, Puebloans built their communities with careful attention to solar orientation, placing them under cliff overhangs to maximize shade in summer and sunlight in winter. This design helped regulate temperatures naturally.
(Photo : Wikimedia Commons)4. Muslim Caliphates' Rainwater Harvesting
Buildings in arid regions of North Africa and Spain were designed to capture and store rainwater through sloped roofs and courtyards. According to 4perfectwater, this water was used for irrigation, making efficient use of limited water resources, which in turn helped cool homes.
(Photo : Wikimedia Commons)5. Mayans and Teotihuacans' Stormwater Storage
The Mayan and Teotihuacan civilizations had developed systems whereby stormwater fell into large cisterns and was then stored for later use, per the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. This gave them a controlled and regulated water supply during the dry season to become resilient during harsh weather conditions.
These 5 ancient architecture techniques had practical solutions to environmental conditions, imparting lessons to modern architecture that is currently seeking ways to overcome similar challenges.
