ShadeLA design contest winners envision a cooler Los Angeles (literally)

Hundreds of students across Los Angeles took on a timely brief this fall: Design modular shade structures that can be quickly deployed to protect Angelenos from extreme heat. 

The inaugural Shade Zones Design Competition, led by the USC School of Architecture as part of the broader ShadeLA coalition, drew 50 teams from 12 colleges, selected from more than 100 registered teams representing 17 institutions regionwide.

Created by USC Associate Professor of Architecture Bhavna Sharma and supported by USC Dornsife Public Exchange, the USC School of Architecture, and LA Metro, the challenge asked for adaptable, temporary shade solutions suited to a range of urban contexts. The resulting proposals explored diverse material, structural, and formal strategies.

A jury of 11 members from public agencies, community groups, and design firms evaluated submissions across a range of criteria, from architectural and structural design to scalability, accessibility, reuse, and communication. 

Check out the winning entries below and follow the links to learn more about each individual entry. 

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE

1st Place (see cover image): “The (Not so) Primitive Hut” by team JN Interstice 
Students: Neri Landi (BArch ’28), Jaci Hinman (MCM, BArch ’28)
Faculty Mentor: Kyle Konis, associate professor, USC School of Architecture
Schools: USC School of Architecture, USC Viterbi School of Engineering
View full submission

2nd Place: “Bright Idea” by team Bright Idea
Students: Keira Izumi (BS ’28), Jayden Salve (BS ’28), Roda Hassan (BS ’27), Kimberly Maynard (BArch ’27)
Faculty Mentor: Kelly Sanders, associate professor, USC Viterbi, Civil Engineering
Schools: USC School of Architecture, USC Viterbi School of Engineering
View full submission

3rd Place: “A Kit of Shade” by team Chilled Air
Students: Minh Anh Nguyen (MArch ’26), Matthew Mejia (MArch ’26)
Faculty Mentor: Jia Zhou Zhu, lecturer, USC School of Architecture
School: USC School of Architecture
View full submission

AWARD FOR SUSTAINABILITY

“The Giving Tree” by team Boolean Union
Students: Sean Flaherty (MArch ’27)
Faculty Mentor: Carla Hashley, program specialist, USC School of Architecture
School: USC School of Architecture
View full submission

AWARD FOR INNOVATION

“core-LA-tions” by team S.E.A.S.
Students: Jonathan Diaz (BArch ’26), Tommy Lee (BArch ’26)
Faculty Mentor: Gary Garcia, professor, Industry & Technology
School: El Camino College
View full submission

FAN FAVORITE

1st Place & Honorable Mention, Medium Scale: “Pedestrian Experiences Reimagine Futurism (PERF)” by team ALOT
Students: Taryn Pham (BArch ’29), Lillian Pate (BArch ’29), Owen Corpus (BArch ’29), Aidan Abansado (BArch ’29)
Faculty Mentor: Gesa Büttner Dias, lecturer, USC School of Architecture
School: USC School of Architecture
View full submission

2nd Place: “SHADE PICADO” by team Sombreando LA
Students: Cecilia Preza (AA ’27), Monique Nogueira (BArch ’26)
Faculty Mentor: Marcela Oliva, professor, Architecture
School: Los Angeles Trade-Technical College
View full submission

3rd Place: “Aerogami Flora” by team WEK
Student(s): Wally Eagle Kelly (BFA ’26)
Faculty Mentor: Richard Lundquist, professor, Environmental Design
School: Otis College of Art and Design
View full submission

Honorable Mentions went to teams Stop Motion, ALOT, KHIM, and to student Jose Alexander Galdamez Nolasco from USC School of Architecture, USC Price School of Public Policy, and Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.

The Shade Zones Award Ceremony on April 21 will kick off a public exhibition of the winning submissions, on display at the AIA Los Angeles and ACLA headquarters until April 28. 

Got some clever shade infrastructure ideas but missed this latest contest? Hang tight — the 2026 Shade Zones Design Competition will launch this June.