There was a technique used or invented by the Romans a long time ago [for] natural form of air conditioning / ventilation.
I saw something similar on an edition of This Old House: the location was in Charleston, SC, and the house in question — about 200 years old — had a cooling system, very similar to this. The key was a central chimney over the main hallway with a ring of gas jets close to the top. As the gas jets heated the air in the chimney (this was a large affair, not a narrow brick box), the air rose rapidly enough to pull air in through street level windows and doors, creating a persistent breeze.
The Roman system would probably work quite well here in the Pacific Northwest . . . .
Seen in Rebecca’s Pocket