It is generally believed that furniture is universal and that the chair, for example, exists in every country in the world.
However, there is nothing universal about sitting on a chair and this object only exists in a few cultures, which are today largely globalized.
In vernacular architecture, furniture and interior design depend on the climate.
In traditional Algerian houses, for example, the seats are low and directly integrated into the walls in the form of benches or alcoves: they generate a feeling of freshness, because they benefit from the thermal inertia of all the heavy masonry.
In tropical areas, the furniture is on the contrary very light: the hammock, for example, is favored in hot and humid climates, because it does not hinder perspiration and it can be ventilated on the underside.
We must therefore favor furniture with ample perforation and ventilation to withstand heatwaves and tropical nights (when the minimum temperature does not drop below 20°C at our latitudes).
Freio - climatic design works to develop new types of so-called “ventilable” furniture designed to reduce discomfort during tropical nights.
The nature of the textile used, more or less hydrophilic depending on its composition, is also essential.
However, much research remains to be carried out in order to know the types of furniture used in each climate, your contributions are welcome!
Sources: A. Ravereau, J. Dreyfus.
Image: Freio - climatic design, C. Gaillard.