CAIRO COOLING CANOPY (Triple C)
Partner: Cairo University
2023 / Cairo, Egypt / Concept Development
The project offers a unique solution to combat Cairo's Urban Heat Island effect by creating locally-sourced palm leaf urban canopies where needed. These canopies are crafted by the local community, providing shade in urban spaces. Beyond mitigating UHI, the project promotes sustainability and socio-economic responsibility, with a focus on empowering local communities, especially young women, through job creation and economic opportunities. It fosters inclusive, climate-resilient action in Cairo, improving the quality of life for vulnerable groups and reducing energy consumption while enhancing public spaces. In essence, this transformative project innovatively and inclusively addresses multiple challenges, benefiting both locals and the environment.
GREEN SKYWALK
Partner: Cairo University
2022 / Cairo, Egypt / Concept Development
The project is a transformative initiative that aims to convert the city's hot, sun-exposed streets into cool, shaded corridors. It introduces an innovative network of elevated walkways designed to seamlessly blend into the urban landscape while providing essential shade to pedestrians. Crafted from sustainable materials and engineered for natural ventilation, these "Skywalks" combat the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect and reduce reliance on energy-intensive cooling systems. Beyond addressing extreme heat, the project promotes sustainability, encourages walking to reduce emissions, fosters community, and elevates Cairo's urban fabric. It represents a sustainable, climate-resilient future for the city, showcasing its commitment to an eco-friendly, and vibrant urban environment.
OASIS ABU DHABI
2020 / Abu Dhabi, UAE / Concept Competition
The 'Oasis' is a visionary 40-meter urban structure designed to combat the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. Resembling a tree, it features five lush green floors and a cascading waterfall inspired by oases. Using clever design and natural, high-albedo materials, it blocks solar radiation and offers cooling shade, addressing UHI from multiple angles. Elevated greenery enhances air quality and reduces thermal air movements. The Oasis serves as a hidden cool haven, fostering community and well-being while adding cultural value to Abu Dhabi. Its adaptable design can create more urban Oases, promoting climate resilience and blending modern architecture with local context, benefitting both the environment and the local neighborhood.
TEHRAN'S GREEN ROOFS INITIATIVES
2015-2017 / Tehran, Iran
This project achieved remarkable success in transforming our city into a sustainable urban environment. By engaging residents to cover their building rooftops with flowers and greenery, we have significantly reduced the impact of solar radiation on our urban landscape. This achievement has led to a noticeable decrease in energy consumption, particularly during scorching summer months, resulting in cost savings for residents and reduced strain on our city's resources. It has also enhanced air quality, fostered a sense of community, and created a more attractive living environment. As we continue to expand this initiative, our ultimate achievement lies in the prospect of a greener, cooler, and more resilient Tehran, setting an example for urban areas worldwide on the path to sustainability and climate resilience
TEHRAN URBAN CLIMATE RESILIENCE
GUIDELINE
Partners: Tehran Municipality
2015 / Tehran, Iran
The project aims to improve the quality of living spaces by implementing design guidelines that focus on energy-efficiency and health. To achieve this, the project used both active and passive strategies in building design. It started by analyzing current living spaces, identifying areas needing improvement. Climatic data pinpointed energy-intensive hot spots and areas with potential health risks due to poor air quality or extreme temperatures. Then, it forecasted future scenarios to predict changes in climate patterns and energy consumption. This aids decision makers in designing resilient living spaces for the future. The project created design alternatives using active and passive strategies, considering current and future conditions. Prioritizing energy-efficiency, health, comfort, it offers actionable insights for decision makers to create sustainable, healthy environment.
MULTILEVEL GREEN
Partner: Cairo University
2023 / Cairo, Egypt / Concept Development
This project is a pioneering urban development initiative in Cairo, Egypt, designed to combat the UHI effect. This challenge stems from elevated temperatures in urban areas, exacerbated by human activities and infrastructure, making it especially significant in Cairo's hot climate. The project aims to transform the city into a sustainable, environmentally responsible metropolis, enhancing residents' quality of life. Key features include green infrastructure with rooftop gardens, eco-friendly transportation, mixed-use development, energy efficiency, and resilience measures. Community engagement and educational initiatives are integral, making Multilevel Green a model of sustainable urban development that fights climate change while creating a more livable city.
NATURE NEXUS
Partner: Cairo University
2022 / Cairo, Egypt / Concept Development
A visionary project that creates a transformative link between the Nile and Imbaba, an informal settlement, through cooling public spaces and lush green corridors. Nature Nexus revitalizes the Nile's historic waterfront while combatting urban heat. Our project envisions a seamless transition from the Nile to Imbaba via vibrant green corridors, providing shade, respite from heat, and essential connectors for the local community. Our objectives include mitigating the UHI effect, improving air quality, and crafting inviting public spaces for community well-being. By bridging the Nile and Imbaba, Nature Nexus enhances residents' quality of life, particularly those in vulnerable circumstances. This initiative showcases the pivotal role of urban planning and green infrastructure in building sustainable, resilient communities.
KLIMATE PROJECT
Partners: KL City Hall & National University of Malaysia
2020-2021 / Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The 'Kuala Lumpur Integrated & Innovative Sustainable Measures to Mitigate Urban Heat Island Effects (KLIMATE)' project aims to transform Kuala Lumpur into a sustainable city region aligned with the NUA and SDGs, with a specific focus on addressing climate action. It targets the reduction of UHI effects in the 'Golden Triangle Area,' aiming to lower temperatures. The project's innovative approach involves creating a 'Climatic 3D Model' for comprehensive UHI assessment. Its overarching goal is to improve infrastructure, quality of life, competitiveness, and municipal services by optimizing building and urban climatic performance. Key activities include conducting a cross-sector baseline study and delivering a Climatic 3D Model, a Climatic Master Plan, an Administrative Road Map, and an Implemented Pilot Project.
GREENVIEW APPARTMENTS
2016 / Tehran, Iran
Our innovative architectural vision has created a unique residential building in Tehran that blends modern living with environmental sustainability. Each unit features a private balcony, and the entire rooftop is transformed into a lush green oasis. This design not only improves residents' quality of life but also serves a broader purpose. The building includes a rooftop garden with green balconies, a first-of-its-kind concept in Tehran. This urban oasis offers residents serene outdoor spaces while playing a crucial role in mitigating the UHI effect. The use of high-albedo materials on the exterior further enhances cooling. The design harnesses the power of nature to reduce energy consumption and minimize CO2 emissions. It's a sustainable living experience that showcases how thoughtful architecture positively impacts the environment and urban landscapes.
DEVELOPMENT OF A 'CLIMATE RESILIENCE GUIDELINE': CLIMATE CHECK FOR
COMPACT NEIGHBOURHOODS
Partner: Cairo University, Global Urban Studies Institute in Berlin
2014-2016 / Cairo, Egypt
This project addresses the crucial issues of Urban Planning and Climate Change, with a specific focus on advancing sustainable urban development in Egypt. Its primary objective is to improve the quality of life in Cairo's informal settlements by implementing comprehensive and sustainable environmental enhancements. Through an integrated approach, the project aims to combat various forms of environmental pollution, significantly reduce heat islands, and decrease local greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve these goals, the project offers valuable contributions, including an environmental assessment tool for outdoor spaces in informal areas, a Tool-Kit for enhancing environmental performance and reducing Urban Heat Islands, a model for improving outdoor spaces within informal areas, & a practical Pilot Project to demonstrate the effectiveness of these strategies.
ELEVATED NEIGHBOURHOOD
2022 / Dubai, The UAE / Concept Development
The primary goal of the complex is to mitigate the urban heat island (UHI) effect in an urban area of Dubai. This has been achieved through the integration of nature-based solutions, utilization of renewable energy, incorporation of high albedo materials, and provision of shade via its unique shape and structure. The structure has the ability to counteract microclimate changes in the urban canyon by leveraging its distinctive characteristics and shape.
The concept of "Elevated Neighbourhood" is to concentrate different land uses and activities to reduce travel and decrease air pollution production and energy consumption. This mixed-use complex offers various facilities to its residents and the surrounding neighbourhood, acting as a micro-city.
MULTI DIMENSIONAL CLIMATE MODEL
2021 / Montreal, Canada
RUPD developed this model to empower decision makers, ensuring climate-safe decisions that benefit residents and enable local leaders to take integrated, resilient action within budget and time constraints. It offers insights to architects, urban planners, and landscape architects, helping them evaluate decisions in relation to sun, climate, and future extreme weather conditions and accelerates ambitious climate adaptation efforts, supports SDG implementation, and functions as a real-time urban climate monitor. By connecting with data, it tracks climate impacts on buildings and urban areas, enabling proactive control. This platform identifies climate stress, predicts planning potential, monitors climate impacts, assesses building climatic effects, and serves as a foundation for construction projects and risk prevention.
TEHRAN ECOPATHWAY
2018 / Tehran, Iran / Concept Development
In Tehran, the EcoPathway project is a groundbreaking initiative focused on revitalizing a vital urban axis. This innovative endeavor aims to enhance both the aesthetics and environmental sustainability of the city. It goes beyond adding greenery; it's a visionary urban transformation approach. Through strategic tree planting and greenery integration, the project targets key objectives. it seeks to combat rising temperatures by creating a natural cooling effect along the central corridor, making the city more comfortable year-round and contributes to reduced CO2 emissions and improved air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. It conserves freshwater using an innovative tree irrigation greywater system. EcoPathway sets a sustainable urban development example for a greener & resilient Tehran.
THE BERLIN MUSEUM OF THE 20TH CENTURY
2016 / Berlin, Germnany / Concept Competition
The underground museum has a multifaceted concept. It aims to blend seamlessly with its urban surroundings, while also respecting the architectural heritage of neighboring buildings such as the Neue National Gallery by Mies van der Rohe, St. -Matthäus Church, The National Library, Philharmonic and Cultural Forum. The green roof area attracts visitors, offering a pleasant space to relax and appreciate the atmosphere while visiting the museum. Sustainability is a key aspect of the building's design, with a focus on energy efficiency and minimizing its environmental impact. Incorporating nature into the building design prevents environmental degradation and people's detachment from it. Many sustainable designs prioritize reducing environmental impact but often overlook reconnecting people with nature, a crucial element of sustainable development.
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