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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 square meters in area and 2.44 meters tal. 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 accessibility in parks and improve thermal comfort for park users.
Source
WRI
Data sources
WRI OpenUrban, OpenStreetMap, WRI shade
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. Our input datasets might not be completely accurate in terms of the location 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.