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Why don't we use awnings anymore (2022)

(thecraftsmanblog.com)
413 points samclemens | 4 comments | 15 Oct 24 22:11 UTC | HN request time: 0.516s | source
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bell-cot ◴[15 Oct 24 22:47 UTC] No.41853905[source]▶
Awnings, deep overhanging eaves, attic exhaust fans, floor plans designed for cross-ventilation, strategic shade trees - a century ago, there were lots of strategies for keeping cooler without A/C.

And a 1950's house built with none of those advertised "I'm cutting-edge trendy, and rich enough to just run my new A/C all the time" to everyone who saw it.

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1. mmooss ◴[16 Oct 24 00:40 UTC] No.41854556[source]▶
This weekend I was in a small early-20th century home with marvelous cross ventilation - they hardly need anything else. I assumed it was a happy accident of the design, but now I wonder if it was intentional.
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2. Spooky23 ◴[16 Oct 24 01:46 UTC] No.41854853[source]▶
Pretty sure it was, my whole 1920s neighborhood was built that way. The downstairs is glorious and with the shade trees barely needs AC for a few days in August.

Upstairs is hot. But… the house was built with a finished downstairs and diy upstairs. The diy job wasn’t as good from a ventilation perspective.

3. bobthepanda ◴[16 Oct 24 05:34 UTC] No.41855926[source]▶
It was probably intentional because they had no other means of cooling the house.
4. bell-cot ◴[16 Oct 24 06:30 UTC] No.41856178[source]▶
It was no accident. If you look at (say) catalogs of house plans which were printed in that era, "room has cross ventilation" is a touted as a feature.