CLIMATE CANOPY
HOW CAN CINCINNATI REPURPOSE UNDERUTILIZED ROOFSCAPES TO MITIGATE LOOMING CLIMATE IMPACTS?
THE PROBLEM
THE VISION
CASE STUDIES
These projects, plans, and studies guided the development of our framework and methodology for a roofscape plan in downtown Cincinnati.
...The landscape of flat rooftops becomes both a reiteration and an expansion of the ground level. Room for new and more interpretations of the city’s needs. There is an opportunity to develop an inclusive second layer to the city. No need to demolish and rebuild or to push away the undesired but simply to occupy empty space that is waiting for us.
GOALS
ADDRESS LOOMING CLIMATE IMPACTS
COOL THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO REDUCE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT
REDUCE RUNOFF AND RETAIN WATER DURING FLOOD EVENTS USING BLUE ROOFS
REDUCE ENERGY USAGE AND INCREASE RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RETHINK PUBLIC SPACE
ADDRESS MISSING THIRD SPACES
CREATE SPACES THAT CELEBRATE CINCINNATI'S HISTORY AND CULTURE
METHODOLOGY
4 main roof types guided the plan creation. Each roof type addresses different urban related issues with a focus on climate resiliency, however each is better suited to different building types.
DOWNTOWN CINCINNATI ROOFSCAPE
By creating this foundation for the dense area of downtown Cincinnati we can develop a plan forward to address climate impacts downtown while setting a precedent for other areas in Cincinnati and other small cities.
ROOFSCAPE EXPERIENCE
IMPACTS
By following the recommendations of the Downtown Cincinnati Roofscape Plan, the City of Cincinnati can signficantly combat the looming impacts of climate change.
References
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Blue Barrel Systems. (n.d.). Rain Catchment Calculator - Size your System - BlueBarrel Rainwater. Blue Barrel Systems. Retrieved February 27, 2024, from https://www.bluebarrelsystems.com/diy/size-your-system/
Braaksma, E. (2022, June 22). Het slimme daken project in Amsterdam. RESILIO. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://resilio.amsterdam/en/
CAPA Strategies. (2020, August 10). Cincinnati Cincinnati. City of Cincinnati. Retrieved February 27, 2024, from https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/sites/oes/assets/File/Summary_Report_Heat_Watch_Cincinnati.pdf
City of Cincinnati. (n.d.). Cincinnati Tree Inventory, Canopy Stats, and Reforestation Goals (2020 - 2030). City of Cincinnati Urban Tree Canopy Information. Retrieved February 7, 2024, from https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/077c8ec66d68459a94d3a7091c5a4938
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CNT. (n.d.). Green Values Stormwater Calculator. Green Values Stormwater Management Calculator. Retrieved February 27, 2024, from https://greenvalues.cnt.org/#calculate
Cutieru, A. (2023, May 26). A New Layer of Public Space: The Case for Activating Urban Rooftops. ArchDaily. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://www.archdaily.com/959562/a-new-layer-of-public-space-the-case-for-activating-urban-rooftops
Hurtado, P., Shah, S., DeAngelis, J., Dulko, I., Catenacci, S., & Andrzejczak, S. (2024, January 31). 2024 Trend Report for Planners. American Planning Association. https://www.planning.org/publications/document/9284143/
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Latham, K. (2023, April 7). Amsterdam's 'Smart' Blue-Green Roofs Reduce Urban Flooding. Reasons to be Cheerful. Retrieved February 7, 2024, from https://reasonstobecheerful.world/amsterdam-blue-green-roofs-smart-flooding/
Living Roofs. (n.d.). The blue green roof - helping cities cope with stormwater. Living Roofs. Retrieved February 27, 2024, from https://livingroofs.org/introduction-types-green-roof/blue-green-roof-cities-stormwater/
Monk, D. (2023, December 20). Four years after COVID, empty spaces threaten downtown. WCPO. Retrieved February 6, 2024, from https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/i-team/the-pandemic-moved-work-out-of-downtown-heres-the-plan-to-bring-people-back
MVRDV. (2022, November 17). MVRDV launches RoofScape, a new software to help reimagine Rotterdam's rooftops. MVRDV. Retrieved February 7, 2024, from https://www.mvrdv.com/news/4290/mvrdv-rotterdam-superworld-roofscape-software
Office of Environment and Sustainability. (n.d.). Local Impacts of Climate Change - Environment & Sustainability. City of Cincinnati. Retrieved February 6, 2024, from https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/oes/green-cincinnati-plan/local-impacts-of-climate-change/
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US EPA. (2023, June 28). Using Green Roofs to Reduce Heat Islands | US EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/using-green-roofs-reduce-heat-islands
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