Extreme heat has joined the list of critical vulnerabilities that our cities must confront. 2014 was
the hottest year on earth since record-keeping began and the 10 warmest years have all occurred since 1997. Meteorologists forecast that cities like Paris and New York City will gain
2-3 degrees C on average this century, which will alter urban livability and ecosystem health.
With increased global urbanization and hotter cities, a central challenge for designers-planners, scientists and policymakers will be to create healthy micro-climates for compact cities.
The Urban Climate Lab at the NYIT Graduate Program in Urban & Regional Design explores the
intersection of urban form, low-carbon cities, and climate to prepare future practitioners confronting a rapidly urbanizing world threatened by climate change. In 2014 and 2015, the Urban Climate Lab completed climate-resilient urban design projects for districts in Brooklyn, New York City.
Working in Paris during the COP21 international climate negotiations, the goal of this Urban Climate Lab will be to explore climate-resilient urban design and planning strategies
for a Paris district.
The project will configure this district so that it can adapt and thrive in
changing climate conditions, meet carbon-reduction goals, and sustain urban populations
in compact settings.
This emerging design practice integrates climate science, natural sys-
tems, and compact urban form to configure dynamic, desirable, and healthy communities.