7 Ways Design’s Future Is Actually Rooted in the Past

Image: Sustainable Design Is Local Design: Angkor Wat is one of the earliest and most impressive examples of sustainable architecture. During Siem Reap's heyday, the two reservoirs regulated water, so that the temple could be used in the dry season. The pools also helped to distribute cool air throughout the temple.

wired.com - May 19, 2015 - Liz Stinson

When the Khmer built Angkor Wat in the 12th century, they probably didn’t use the word “sustainable” to describe their creation. At the time, the temple and its unique design was nothing more than a result of Cambodia’s climate, which oscillates between extreme wet and dry. The temple ran on a hydraulic engine comprised of eastern and western manmade pools of water called barays.

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