Urban Climate Walk
Reading the City’s Climate: An Urban Climate Walk through the City of London
Led by Dr Julie Futcher, an architect and urban climatologist, this research-led walking tour explores how the City of London shapes its own local climate.
The walk invites participants to read the city in a new way, not simply as a historic, financial or architectural district, but as a living urban climate system. Streets, buildings, courtyards, façades, open spaces and materials all influence how sunlight, heat, air and rain move through the urban environment.
At the heart of the walk is a simple idea: cities do not just experience climate – they help produce it. The height and spacing of buildings, the width of streets, the amount of visible sky, the reflectivity of surfaces and the presence or absence of planting all help determine whether a place feels hot or cool, sheltered or exposed, still or windy, dry or damp.
Using the City of London as a living laboratory, the walk connects urban climate research with direct street-level observation.
Along the route, participants will consider where heat builds up, where shade is available, where air can move freely, and how rainwater is absorbed, slowed or redirected.
The walk reveals how urban form affects comfort, health, energy use, vegetation, biodiversity and resilience. It also shows why materials and technologies, from reflective façades to green infrastructure, depend on the surrounding urban geometry if they are to perform well.
A central theme is that architecture and urban form should be understood as climate infrastructure. Streets, plots, blocks, façades, open spaces and building heights establish environmental conditions that can last for decades.
The walk lasts around two hours and takes place in all weather conditions, since wind, rain, heat or cold can make the city’s climate processes easier to notice. Comfortable footwear and suitable clothing are recommended.
By the end of the walk, participants will see the City of London differently: as a dynamic urban climate system shaped by buildings, streets, materials, landscape and weather.
Dr Julie Futcher ARB RIBA MIntP
Julie is the co-founder of the Urban Climate Walk, an experimental teaching and engagement methodology established in 2014 that explores urban climate processes through direct observation of the city. The walks have been delivered in cities worldwide and are used by universities, professional organisations, and public institutions to build climate literacy across the built environment sector. Alongside consultancy and teaching, Julie contributes to research collaborations and professional initiatives aimed at embedding climate-responsive thinking into architecture, urban design, and planning practice.
Led by Dr Julie Futcher, an architect and urban climatologist, this research-led walking tour explores how the City of London shapes its own local climate.
The walk invites participants to read the city in a new way, not simply as a historic, financial or architectural district, but as a living urban climate system. Streets, buildings, courtyards, façades, open spaces and materials all influence how sunlight, heat, air and rain move through the urban environment.
At the heart of the walk is a simple idea: cities do not just experience climate – they help produce it. The height and spacing of buildings, the width of streets, the amount of visible sky, the reflectivity of surfaces and the presence or absence of planting all help determine whether a place feels hot or cool, sheltered or exposed, still or windy, dry or damp.
Using the City of London as a living laboratory, the walk connects urban climate research with direct street-level observation.
Along the route, participants will consider where heat builds up, where shade is available, where air can move freely, and how rainwater is absorbed, slowed or redirected.
The walk reveals how urban form affects comfort, health, energy use, vegetation, biodiversity and resilience. It also shows why materials and technologies, from reflective façades to green infrastructure, depend on the surrounding urban geometry if they are to perform well.
A central theme is that architecture and urban form should be understood as climate infrastructure. Streets, plots, blocks, façades, open spaces and building heights establish environmental conditions that can last for decades.
The walk lasts around two hours and takes place in all weather conditions, since wind, rain, heat or cold can make the city’s climate processes easier to notice. Comfortable footwear and suitable clothing are recommended.
By the end of the walk, participants will see the City of London differently: as a dynamic urban climate system shaped by buildings, streets, materials, landscape and weather.
Dr Julie Futcher ARB RIBA MIntP
Julie is the co-founder of the Urban Climate Walk, an experimental teaching and engagement methodology established in 2014 that explores urban climate processes through direct observation of the city. The walks have been delivered in cities worldwide and are used by universities, professional organisations, and public institutions to build climate literacy across the built environment sector. Alongside consultancy and teaching, Julie contributes to research collaborations and professional initiatives aimed at embedding climate-responsive thinking into architecture, urban design, and planning practice.
