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Elegant Terracotta Air Conditioner Uses Traditional Methods To Cool Without Electricity

By Kirsten Miller on October 29, 2022

Yael Issacharov Designs Terracotta Air Conditioning

Photo: Francesco Maria Lucini/IDA Design Awards

Staying cool in summer can be a real challenge, especially with the high cost of air conditioning. Luckily, designer Yael Issacharov has circumvented our guilt of having the AC on all day by designing a system that needs no electricity at all. Issacharov has pulled inspiration from traditional Palestinian cooling systems and Egyptian architecture to bring us elegant and ecological air conditioning that adds an element of timeless grace to the idea of cooling down. With Issacharov's design, you can chill in your house or office and not worry about the cost or environmental impact.

The innovative system is called Nave, and it's made from terracotta tiles. When combined with water flow, they work together to cool spaces in a building. The main focus of the project is the adaption of the system to the surrounding walls, transforming them from a passive factor to an active one. As the water moves through the terracotta, it becomes a vapor when it collides with the heat of the surrounding air. The heat is absorbed, cooling the water and the entire system so the surrounding air of the room is chilled as a natural consequence.

Nave is customized and modular, meaning the shape and sides are adjustable according to your space. The units are free-standing and mountable so they can be attached to any part of a building. They are highly user-friendly and don’t take much interaction to make them work; they can be turned on and off, paused, and the temperature and humidity presets can be adjusted whenever you need a temperature change.

Nave comes in three different versions: as wall tiles, as partitions, and as a vertical heat sink or totem. Scroll down to see renderings, and follow Issacharov's extraordinary design and illustration inspiration on Instagram.