Inspired by the expression vete por la sombrita, meaning roughly “walk in the shade”, architect and artist Elsa Ponce transforms a New York street with a joyful, climate-responsive shaded walkway installation. Commissioned by the NYC DOT Art Program for Summer Streets 2026, the installation responds to rising urban temperatures and the unequal availability of shade. Inspired by the traditional bower, a leafy shelter offering sun protection and a place to gather, Ponce designed a joyful, lilac inflatable canopy that can be assembled each morning and dismantled each evening. Its pink and lilac forms introduce an unexpected softness to the city's hard streetscape, while creating a soft, shifting landscape of light and shadow on the strip of sidewalk.
As part of the canopy installation, visitors are invited to trace the changing shadows with colourful chalk. As the sunlight moves, individual drawings accumulate into a collective mural. Through the collective experience of the walkway, Ponce frames shade as a gesture of affection and protection.
