Cádiz, Spain is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe. Jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean on a narrow peninsula, the port boomed in the 16th-century as a base for exploration and trade. On the waterfront is the domed, 18th-century Cádiz Cathedral, featuring baroque and neoclassical elements. Constrained by its peninsular geography, the city maximizes space through four-story, multi-family housing clustered around central courtyards. The design provides excellent cross-ventilation, shaded narrow streets, and unique solar-control elements to combat intense Atlantic weather. Cádiz’s historic residential architecture relies on several distinct, defining features: Traditional dwellings utilize verticality, organizing apartments around narrow, light-welcoming central courtyards. Many facades feature cierros—traditional projecting balconies enclosed by metal or wood-and-glass window structures. TowerHouses, historically used as merchant watchtowers to spot incoming ships, the 133 iconic watchtowers punctuating the skyline. Thick, high-thermal-mass envelopes coated in lime deflect intense summer sunlight while retaining heat to provide comfort during cooler nights.