SHADEscape

built and natural canopy as environmental infrastructure for public health and well-being

The environment and society converge in urban spaces where walkability, comfort and health are most affected by climate and microclimate. As climate change intensifies, the daily lives and well-being of citizens exposed to extreme heat in urban spaces has serious health impacts, as shade remains an issue of socioeconomic inequity. The SHADEscape Studio investigates the current discourse around shade creation as a symbol to offset global warming and to create ecologically and culturally sustainable public spaces. A focus on shade as a seemingly innocuous commodity challenges shade and shelter disparities lacking from urban planning, utilities and transportation policies.

Through contextual site studies, human-centered environmental sensing and community engagement, students research the geography of shade, as a civic resource for all. Students examine the policy-based, socioeconomic and physical implications of inequitable appropriation and distribution of shade and canopy in the public realm, as well as the health effects of extreme urban heat, surface temperatures and energy demands. Armed with scientific evidence that shade promotes health and well-being, encourages socially cohesive communities, and has other environmental and economic benefits, students will develop shading strategies for streetscapes - providing shelter for those in most need - designing and building specialized street furniture and shade canopies as a street-design-kit, redefining shade itself as a public good.