Game on: USC launches student design competition to bring shade to L.A. for 2028 and beyond

As Los Angeles is preparing to host a series of major global sporting events, USC Dornsife Public Exchange and USC School of Architecture are teaming up to launch a first-of-its-kind student design competition to tackle one of the region’s growing threats: extreme heat.

The Shade Zone Design Competition series kicks off this fall and will run annually through 2027. This year’s competition calls on the next generation of architects and designers to help shape a cooler, more welcoming Los Angeles — one that shines on the world stage in 2028 and beyond.

Rooted in Los Angeles’ broader commitment to sustainability, community resilience and design excellence, the competition is part of ShadeLA, a regional campaign led by USC Dornsife Public Exchange in collaboration with UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, and participation from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), the City of Los Angeles, LA County, the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games (LA28) and more than a dozen community partners.

“This is an opportunity for students to see their ideas come to life — not just in renderings, but in the real world," said Brett Steele, Dean of the USC School of Architecture. “Through this collaboration, we’re giving young designers a platform to tackle our urban heat challenges with creativity, responsibility and community impact in mind.”

In collaboration with Metro, the 2025 competition invites undergraduate and graduate students across the Los Angeles region to design innovative, modular, temporary shade systems that can transform everyday public places — from sidewalks and bus stops to open-air gathering places — into cooler, safer, more inviting environments. The challenge supports Metro by generating scalable streetscape designs that can cool temporary pedestrian and cyclist pathways that residents, workers and visitors will rely on to navigate their way around Los Angeles during major events.

The challenge asks students to consider the quality of shade, modularity, accessibility, innovation, sustainability and the feasibility of installation. The submissions must also consider the legacy of the structure after the major events are over and propose how the shade structures could be repurposed.

“Metro is proud to serve as a partner in ShadeLA and support this innovative design competition,” said Metro Chief Planning Officer Ray Sosa. “This design competition aims to inspire creative, scalable solutions that help ensure everyone in Los Angeles County can travel safely and comfortably through our system and across the region.” 

Bhavna Sharma, associate professor at the USC School of Architecture and director of the USC Master of Building Science program, led the development of the competition brief with both community needs and the advanced capabilities of architecture students in mind. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine our public spaces,” said Sharma, who structured the design challenge to embrace students’ multidisciplinary skillsets and perspectives. “It’s a chance for students to apply cutting-edge knowledge in sustainable design, climate resilience and emerging technologies to real-world urban challenges,” she said.

How it works

A jury of architects, Metro leadership and staff, public officials and community leaders will select finalists for public exhibition. Winning designs could be showcased at Metro stations and other public spaces across the city.

To encourage student participation throughout the Los Angeles region, the Shade Zone Design Competition is a digital-first experience with no in-person or physical build requirements. To help students strengthen their ideas and engage with real-world constraints, the competition offers virtual office hours with architects, Metro staff and urban design professionals. These sessions provide participants with feedback, technical insights and mentorship to help shape submissions that are both visionary and buildable.

The competition opens today and will accept submissions through October 15. Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at any school or university in the Greater Los Angeles region are eligible to participate. Top teams will receive awards, recognition in a public exhibition, and the opportunity to contribute to one of L.A.’s most visible climate adaptation efforts.

For full competition details and submission guidelines, please visit shade-la.com/design.