After centuries of history, these constructions have come to define the profile of many cities and become architectural symbols of different countries. One of the best known and tallest surviving windcatchers is that found in the Dowlatabad garden in Yazd.
The beauty and efficiency of windcatchers have inspired architects and engineers throughout history. In recent decades, they have come to be seen as a solution to climate change. Increasing the ventilation of buildings reduces the demand for air conditioning, limits the use of fossil fuels, and thus reduces the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
The goal of integrating the functioning of these traditional mechanisms into modern urban contexts and buildings has led to the development of new designs and technologies. Today, there are many examples of windcatchers in Masdar, the city that the United Arab Emirates began building in 2008. There, new versions of the traditional towers distribute the wind through the streets.
Another example is the so-called monodraught windcatcher, designed by an Australian company and in use for two decades now. These devices promote natural ventilation using very little electrical energy.
Europe is also host to mechanisms based on these tall towers. One example is the Bluewater shopping center in Kent, UK. In this building, several rotating windcatchers are integrated into an intelligent building management system (BMS), thus combining age-old tradition with the latest technologies.