Responding to hotter temperatures in Bristol, UK, with cool spaces

Key Learnings

• Heat affects people unequally and inclusion is essential: Discussions highlighted that groups such as people experiencing homelessness or those with limited mobility are often excluded from public spaces. Designing with inclusion in mind should be a core priority.
• Community-led design builds trust and relevance: Involving residents early in climate adaptation activities, such as through collaborative workshops ensured that the cool spaces reflected local needs and preferences, improving acceptance and long-term usability.
• Function extends beyond physical features: Participants emphasised that a “cool” space is not only about temperature, but also about being socially welcoming, safe, free, and easy to access. These findings underscore the importance of social and physical aspects in public space design.

Summary

In response to increasing heat risks, the city of Bristol is building a network of public spaces designed for comfort, safety, and inclusivity during extreme heat events. Early success is rooted in strong collaboration between the City Council, research partners, and local community groups. These efforts will evolve as Bristol City Council launches the pilot sites and, in collaboration with IMAGINE adaptation, continuously evaluates them using both usage data and user experiences to guide future improvements. Bristol’s cool spaces network demonstrates how climate adaptation can be led by the community and based on evidence, with a collaborative workshop shaping the design of the spaces and a pilot inviting public feedback to ensure diverse needs are met.

Contact

imagineadaptbc3research [dot] org (imagineadapt[at]bc3research[dot]org)

sustainable [dot] citybristol [dot] gov [dot] uk (sustainable[dot]city[at]bristol[dot]gov[dot]uk)