In this project, we set out to understand how urban design decisions shape the way people experience climate in public spaces. Our focus was Ben Gurion Boulevard in the heart of the Innovation District, where we explored the question:

How can design improve thermal comfort in a desert city?

To investigate, we analyzed used the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) - a measure of how hot or cold the weather feels to the human body, factoring in temperature, wind, humidity and radiant heat. Using this index, we mapped the comfort levels of public spaces and tested different future scenarios:

• What happens if we add trees along the boulevard?

• How does comfort change if buildings gain extra floors?

• What if parking lots are transformed into high-rises?

By comparing these scenarios, we reveal the powerful role design choices play in shaping everyday comfort in desert environments.

The findings are brought to life through a projection on the Ben Gurion Boulevard model at the NUR Lab.