Cool Forest

Rome’s climate is predicted to be like Riyadh by the end of the century. How will Venice feel? Cool Forest explores themes of urban heat, adaptation, and biodiversity. A forest pavilion exhibits vegetation that is adapted to Venice’s future climate, and sensors monitor and visualise its cooling effects. As a window into Venice’s future climate, Cool Forest transforms the Arsenale into an interactive journey through a lush, planted room. Embedded sensors track growth and change of the plant species within the installation, while other sensors track microclimate conditions within and surrounding it. The species selection in the project sparks conversation about assisted adaptation of existing regional ecosystems as a component crucial to climate-resilient landscapes. Together, the forest and sensors highlight the power of landscape as critical climate infrastructure in global cities.