Façade Idea #10 | Cooling Naturally
Can a Façade Cool a Building Naturally?
Cooling buildings without relying entirely on mechanical systems is becoming increasingly important as cities face rising temperatures.
At OpenFace Day 2026, the team behind EVAPORA presented a façade concept that turns the building envelope into an active cooling system.
Learning from evaporation
EVAPORA combines porous brick modules with evaporative cooling principles to reduce indoor temperatures using water and natural airflow.
Instead of treating the façade as a passive separator between inside and outside, the project transforms it into a climate-responsive element capable of improving comfort while reducing cooling demand.
The proposal explores how passive environmental strategies can be integrated into contemporary façade design using low-energy materials and simple physical principles.
As climate adaptation becomes an increasingly important challenge for architects and engineers, passive cooling strategies offer an opportunity to reduce operational energy while improving indoor comfort.
EVAPORA demonstrates how the façade itself can contribute to creating healthier and more resilient buildings.
About the team
The project was developed by Amita Saroya, Noah Makuku Bozzini, Zahra Azami, Daniela Unda Orozco, Aysegul Erol, and Erita Krasniqi from Politecnico di Milano, combining expertise in architecture, engineering, sustainability, and building performance.