Street Grid

INFRASTRUCTURE

WEIGHT

• Effect renders this concrete jungle almost six degrees hotter than the surrounding desert. (13)
• This city heat is a growing public health threat. Heat kills 60 to 70 Angelenos every summer, according to University of Miami climatologist Larry Kalkstein. But even though heat causes more deaths and medical problems than most other natural disasters, it’s rarely identified as the culprit. (13)
• In general, people of color…in urban areas are more likely to live in high heat island risk neighborhoods compared to their white counterparts. (13)
• Risks are higher in Pacoima and the San Fernando Valley, Palmdale, Lancaster, and east Los Angeles County. But in places like Norwalk and South L.A., more ER visits may raise questions about where city officials should concentrate communication efforts, which neighborhoods need cooling centers, and what makes health problems worse for Angelenos. (13)
• Grass and asphalt, bouncy rubber or artificial turf – changes heat exposure. Little micro-climates that are almost like tiny little heat islands within the heat island of the greater urban area. So shade is important. (14)

Structures such as buildings, roads, and other infrastructure absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat more than natural landscapes such as forests and water bodies. Urban areas, where these structures are highly concentrated and greenery is limited, become “islands” of higher temperatures relative to outlying areas. These pockets of heat are referred to as “heat islands.” Heat islands can form under a variety of conditions, including during the day or night, in small or large cities, in suburban areas, in northern or southern climates, and in any season. 

Urban Material Properties

Surface Heat Islands

Increased Energy Consumption

Heat islands increase electricity demand for air conditioning and peak energy demand. Increased electricity demand for air conditioning ranges from 1–9% for each 2°F increase in temperature, with the highest increase in countries where most buildings have air conditioning, such as the United States. This increased demand contributes to higher electricity expenses. Peak demand generally occurs on exceptionally hot afternoons, when offices and homes are running air-conditioning systems, lights, and appliances. This increased demand can overload systems and require a utility to institute controlled brownouts or blackouts to avoid power outages. (16) 

This design proposal focuses on doing all that is needed to reduce the Urban Heat Island Effect one block at a time. Shade and cool down streets are what is needed to reduce the heat, and this design provides just that. Starting from the first step, roads with vehicle access and multiple lanes are used, meaning that the median of a 4 way or 2-way intersection is taken and gotten its concrete striped away. After the concrete is gone from the median, grass is planted in its place making the median a non-drivable grass median. After that comes the step towards community involvement and giving back to the community the bus stops that are now toolshed. 

These tools act like a library for tools meaning the community can come and borrow gardening tools to plant their own gardens with fruits, plants, and many other greeneries to further assist in the reduction of heat from the streets. These sheds are placed throughout the neighborhood on the grass median coming in a hand full of designs. These steps not only assist in the reduction of heat but also bring communities together. As it is a shared space, the design is set in a way where community gatherings are encouraged to take away from what the street grid originally did which was almost a separation border between neighbors and neighborhoods. 

U.H.I.E.

CHOSEN SITE #1

Initial Location Where to Start 

Dark line represents the neighborhood where the construction of the design can start in Van Nuys. Any of the line could be the starting point as they are surrounded by residents, bus stops, and multiway intersections. 

50 YEARS IN THE FUTURE

50 years in the future, the entire block will chain as older broken-down houses will be demolished, and in their place will come the extension yet again of the green median. With this massive new expansion, the community would get more sheds built in as the room is there now. More greenery such as trees and plants would be planted. Benches would be all over encouraging lifestyles of outside activities rather than inside. Each neighborhood would have their own small park like area all while fighting the heat island effect and socializing with their fellow residents.     

U.H.I.E.

CHOSEN SITE #2

Initial Location Where to Start 

Dark line represents the neighborhood where the construction of the design can start in Glendale. Due to size and length the construction of the design could easily take place as it is surrounded by residents, industrial companies, long roads, and multiway intersections. 

50 YEARS IN THE FUTURE

50 years in the future, all the old and worn-out buildings which hosted the factory and office employees will be torn down. This would allow for yet another expansion of the green media now being the entire street of the block where it started. Once more, plants and trees would be planted again, leading to what is now seen as a park providing shade and fighting the urban heat island effect and making room for the extension of residential buildings.