Architects play a major role in designing outdoor spaces to mitigate the effects of climate change. In coordination with others, they design spaces to reduce the deadly effect of urban heat and to absorb and redirect water after extreme weather. Rethinking traffic patterns and public transportation allows for more pedestrians in urban areas while reducing air pollution. All of this is done in the context of the culture, history, geography, and economics of each location.
Join ND Energy for a virtual conversation about projects in China, India, and the United States that are both functional and beautiful. Ms. Dou Zhang, director of the Shanghai office of Sasaki, will speak about some of the award-winning urban ecosystems that she has designed. She will use the Xuhui Runway Park project to explain SITES, a rating system similar to LEED certification used for buildings. Krupali Uplekar Krusche, associate professor of architecture at the University of Notre Dame, will discuss the work she is doing to create more resilient and sustainable cities in both the United States and India. Both will address the need for equity and inclusion, creating functional beauty in underserved urban areas for the benefit of all.
John Onyango, associate professor of architecture at Notre Dame, will serve as moderator. Prof.Onyango is also involved in research on the environmental hazards of extreme heat and flooding.
Originally published at international.nd.edu.