BRIEF: Provide a design intervention addressing the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect in Delhi to mitigate rising temperatures and enhance thermal comfort in urban environments.

CONCEPT: Our proposed design intervention seeks to introduce adaptive, sustainable shading systems to deal with environmental changes dynamically. Inspired by biomimicry and shape memory materials, the structures open and close automatically based on temperature, light, and occupancy.

Rooted in Delhi's local context, the design embeds indigenous cooling methods like jali work and khus-khus mats with smart technologies. Constructed from bamboo, bioplastics, and shape memory polymers, the system emulates the behavior of plant stomata, adapting in real time to regulate heat and airflow. Blending tradition with innovation, the shading structures cool down markets, residential areas, and transport nodes through the creation of microclimates that minimize the urban heat burden.

OUTCOME: In this intervention, shade is reimagines from a passive, static shelter to an active intelligent system. It reflects a culturally driven sustainable response to the urban heat challenges by enhancing outdoor comfort and resilience while redefining the relationship between people, material, and environment.