There’s little doubt that the world’s climate is changing. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) twenty of the warmest years ever recorded have occurred in the past twenty-five years. Increasingly hot summers and cold winters will further strain energy consumption and the environment as we become even more dependent on fans, HVAC, and other energy-consuming solutions. How can the average household or business reduce energy use without sacrificing comfort or safety? Is there a solution that is both practical and affordable?

In 2019, University of the Arts Berlin students Anna Koppmann and Esmeé Willemsen were presented with just such a challenge in a course project: Past Present – Conservation for Innovation. As the project’s name suggests, students were asked to identify past artifacts, objects, methods, systems, rituals, etc. that could be adapted to solve today’s challenges. “Esmeé and I were interested in historical methods of controlling climate within the home,” explained Anna. “We wanted to explore the use of common items to address the effects of climate change by regulating indoor temperature in a sustainable, cost-effective, and simple way.”

The classmates found inspiration in a simple and common household item dating back thousands of years: curtains. In addition to restricting airflow, curtains have a long history of insulating and protecting against direct sunlight and drafts. Excavations at Olynthus, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and other ancient sites reveal evidence as to some of their earliest use.

Read the case study here.