Five traditional shutter designs for passive cooling

As climate change intensifies, traditional architectural features for passive cooling are being revisited. Monocle highlights five shutter designs from around the world that work with the weather. In Genoa, Italy, 'persiane alla genovese' are green louvred panels opened in sequence for privacy and heat protection. In France, 'jalousie' shutters originated in Marseille, painted white or sage, and later spread to Paris for atmosphere. Bahama shutters, also known as Bermuda shutters, are hinged at the top to withstand hurricanes in the Caribbean. Malta's 'muxrabija', introduced during Arab rule in the 9th century, is a timber lattice that filters light and provides privacy. In ancient Greece, stone screens made of thinly cut marble were used from about 800 BCE to the Hellenistic period to block wind and dust while letting in light. The article suggests reviving slow, seasonal architecture with locally sourced materials.