Mediterranean cities historically adapted to heat through architecture like shutters, working with weather rather than against it. As climate change intensifies, these passive cooling methods deserve reconsideration.

Five notable designs include Persiane alla genovese in Genoa with two-part louvred panels painted green for privacy and light control; Jalousies from Marseille, painted white or sage to reflect sun and hide dust, allowing views out while preventing gazes in; and Bahama shutters in the Caribbean, top-hinged to deflect rain and wind while casting deep shadows.

Malta's Muxrabija, introduced during ninth-century Arab rule, uses geometric timber lattices as fixed breathing façades filtering light and ensuring privacy. Ancient Greece employed Stone screen of thinly cut marble to admit light while blocking wind and dust. These designs suggest opportunities for slow, seasonal architecture using local materials.