Made in the Shade

As part of ShadeLA, the USC School of Architecture-led competition seeks student designs for shade in high-need areas along the Los Angeles River.

Researchers from USC Dornsife and USC Viterbi are helping ShadeLA bring temperatures down across the city.

The regional coalition celebrates a year of turning research into action, piloting shade projects, and advancing policies that help Los Angeles prepare for a hotter future.

ShadeLA brought a temporary shade structure to a City of Los Angeles’ Kick it in the Park watch party for the World Cup. The structure reduced surface temperatures by 51 degrees F.

Two USC architecture students created the winning submission for the 2025 Shade Zones competition ahead of the World Cup.

To increase shade at scale, L.A. must modernize its policies, permitting, and implementation processes that currently limit progress. That’s where ShadeLA is stepping up to the plate, with two new policy briefs to help the city do just that.

New research from the LABarometer Survey shows L.A. County residents see shade as essential—and they want more of it.