parklet

When the City of Kelowna called on designers to create mini urban parks to “Beat the Heat,” Stantec’s Community Development team stepped up to the challenge. Our Summer 2022 Parklet design aims to provide a place of rest, relaxation, and connection during hot summer days on Kelowna’s Bernard Avenue. Partnering with Sustainable Product Manufacturers Romex and Architek provided an opportunity to showcase applications of how we use sustainable materials in our design. Romex supplied materials that help to manage stormwater and enable rainwater harvesting. Architek supplied droughttolerant plants—which they also use in green-roof designs—that improve air quality and address the “heat island” effect in urban landscapes. Our design responds to the challenge of climate change and the increasing number, and severity, of extreme heat events, and how we can address these conditions with sustainable approaches. Providing shade and shelter, our design includes a fence whose form expresses extreme temperature gradients experienced in the area. The colour-coded pieces are cut to corresponding heights, based on temperature. Umbrellas provide more shade in a space to connect with friends—old and new.