For The Texas Nature Conservancy in partnership with Connect Community, Non-Profit

Greener Gulfton Shade Structures

As part of the Greener Gulfton initiative, UltraBarrio developed a series of low im-pact structures that direct water to host nature, bridging the gap of shade equity where natural intervention can’t easily reach. Houston’s Gulfton neighborhood is 17 degrees warmer than the coolest part of Harris County, based on a 2020 heat-mapping study by The Nature Conservancy in Texas.

Hear/Read partner Marcus Martinez’s interview with NPR on UltraBarrio’s shade structure concept for the Gulfton neighborhood. Click hear for the audio and article.

‘A local architect firm, Ultrabarrio, created a mock up design that could provide shade on walkways too narrow for a tree. It includes a set of white trellises that could be adjusted to the size of the sidewalk. These would likely be placed on streets with high pedestrian traffic or areas around bus stops that can’t fit a standard shelter. The trellises are slanted in order to maximize the size of the shade and take advantage of the position of the sun in the sky during certain times of the day.’ -

Texas Standard, National Public Radio/News, July 25, 2023