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Shade structures
Overview
This layer shows a modeled implementation of shade structures within parks. The structures are assumed to be 5 × 5 meters in area and 2.44 meters tall, reflecting commonly available (commercially available shade structures: https://srpshade.caddetails.com/products/square-hip-shades-4430/80366).
Shade structures are placed in areas that are unshaded at 12pm local time to increase access to shade. In smaller parks, structures are added to ensure at least 25% shade cover at 12pm local time, while in larger parks they are placed to maintain a maximum distance to shade of 50 meters.
Function
To estimate how shade structures could increase shade availability in parks and improve thermal comfort for park users.
Source
WRI
Data sources
OpenUrban, OpenStreetMap, Overture Maps
Spatial resolution
1 meter
Spatial coverage
Areas of interest identified by the cities
Temporal resolution
Static
Temporal coverage
2025
Cautions
Modeled shade structure data is only as strong as its supporting layers. While our input datasets are robust, they are not completely accurate in terms of the placement and height of urban features like buildings and trees. The pedestrian area data is suitable for guiding assessments of heat and the potential for creating interventions, but is not intended to serve as a tool for building specific shade structures