Bespoke shade structures: Shaping a more vibrant future for Brisbane

Shade is so often overlooked. Yet it holds the power to shift urban moments from something to endure, to something to enjoy.

As Brisbane readies itself for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, a once-in-a-generation opportunity is quietly unfolding; the opportunity to reshape the way we experience our own city. It’s the quieter, in-between spaces; the shaded walkways, the softened plazas and the sculpted arbours that will ultimately define the quality of placemaking, wayfinding comfort and protection.

Throughout Queensland shade remains essential, not only for comfort, but for encouraging people to slow down, gather and inhabit public spaces to their full potential.

Beyond function: The beauty of bespoke structures

At its best, shade becomes more than just shelter; it becomes an experience. Bespoke shade structures do this with an unassuming authority. They provide orientation, rhythm and identity, and can transform a simple thoroughfare into a civic landmark.

The Dawson Mall Arbour in Mount Druitt, designed by CHROFI and delivered by FORGE, exemplifies this beautifully. What could have been a simple covered walkway is instead a sculptural spine, anchoring a once-underutilised precinct with renewed clarity and grace. The arbour has had an immense impact on the town centre through thoughtful design, intertwining a cultural narrative with the clever use of colours and lighting, and a strong sense of community ownership by way of storytelling and art has brought local residents together.

The same thinking echoes through projects such as the Adelaide Festival Plaza Arbours, the Bondi Beach Park Shelters, and the Bokarina Beach Park structures – each distinct and intimately tied to culture, place and the utility of creating shade.

In the context of Brisbane 2032, the opportunity is clear. Purpose-built shade structures can offer protection from the elements and simultaneously serve as intersections of wayfinding, storytelling and placemaking. They invite moments of pause, of connection, of discovery – qualities that will remain long after the closing ceremonies.

The quiet wisdom of observation

Urbanist William H. Whyte’s decade-long study into behaviour in public spaces revealed a simple truth: people gravitate toward comfort. They seek shade. They seek places where time feels less hurried, less transactional. Designing with this in mind isn’t just considerate, it’s essential.

Shade is a catalyst for civic life. It fosters interaction, belonging and vitality. Without it, public spaces risk becoming barren corridors rather than vibrant arenas of experience.

The legacy we choose

Thoughtfully designed shade structures will help ensure the spaces we build in the lead-up to 2032 do not become relics of a past event, but remain living, breathing, vibrant parts of Brisbane’s future. Spaces where shaded benches become meeting points. Where sculptural canopies become lasting memories.

Main image: Dawson Mall Arbour in Mount Druitt