Urban Pocket Greenery

Summer has officially passed in Thailand. Many complain that Thailand gets hotter and hotter every year that it’s almost impossible to go outside in summer. We all know one of the effective and sustainable ways to reduce temperature in a city is to increase green spaces. Speaking of green spaces that heal urban heat, we mostly think of a big park, almost like a forest, where we can take a rest under lush canopies.

However, according to a research “Urban Vegetation Classification and Analysis for Exploring the Effect of Urban Vegetation Pattern on Land Surface Temperature: A Case Study of Bangkok” by Miss Mingkwan Nantavisai, comparing to large vegetation patches, small scattered vegetation patches can reduce temperature in a wider area. Thus small scattered green spaces in a city can reduce temperature more efficiently than a large green space. The small scattered green spaces can be pocket parks or parking lots with trees.

However, a large green space can benefit a city as well, as a public recreational and activities area. Moreover, Mingkwan added that the large green space, such as a district or city park, can act as a cooling island for the city.

With ‘passion for the better Earth’, Shma has always paid attention to the environmental problem that has been threatening our city, and has put a lot of effort to create innovative designs that help lower the temperature.

Reference:
Mingkwan Nantavisai. Urban Vegetation Classification and Analysis for Exploring the Effect of Urban Vegetation Pattern on Land Surface Temperature: A Case Study of Bangkok. [Master’s thesis]. Bangkok (Thailand): Chulalongkorn University. Faculty of Architecture; 2016.