Badghirs in the centre of the Iranian city of Yazd / Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images
A brick house in a truly hot climate often could not provide its occupants with a cool environment when the sun shone mercilessly, heating up the thick walls. However, our ancestors were good with coming up with solutions. For example, those who could afford such luxuries built wind catchers, and ancient wind catchers can be seen in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bahrain, and Egypt (where they are called malquafs). These towers are tall, go through the entire house, and have adjustable slots that can be opened or closed depending on the weather and wind direction. Functioning in accordance with the principles of physics, wind towers leverage the natural movement of air, with the warm air rising and cool air descending. Acting like pumps, these towers draw heat out of the stone walls. As the cool air enters, it displaces the accumulated heat within the house, creating an effective cooling mechanism.