On a sunny July day in Brooklyn, SCAPE Senior Designer Ciara Stein took a walk—a hot one. She found that the surface of a playground was a scorching 154 °F, sidewalks were 133 °F, artificial turf was 137 °F, and cobblestone was 115 °F. Just a few feet away in the shade, sidewalk and paved plaza surface temperatures dropped to 90 °F, and grassy areas to 89 °F. High surface temperatures and heat indexes carried into the night, preventing people from finding life-critical cooling. Through SCAPE’s second annual SEED research grant program, Ciara captured surface conditions, heat index, and wind velocity while on heat walks through Brooklyn during peak sun hours and after sunset. After walking a total of over 15 miles, she compiled the data into three 32-foot-long accordion books. The fieldwork provided insights into how we can promote cooling through tree canopy, strategic planting, multi-scalar parks, wind corridors, and material selections. Most importantly, it evidenced the need to integrate shade and cooling into existing social patterns. As temperatures rise, landscape interventions can play a vital role in keeping communities cool! Stay tuned for recaps from the other SEED research projects.
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