Shady democracy: shelter from the sun is a public resource | Essay | Architectural Review
▻https://www.architectural-review.com/places/africa/shady-democracy-shelter-from-the-sun-is-a-public-resource/10046834.article
The OED’s primary definition of ‘shade’ is ‘comparative darkness and coolness caused by shelter from direct sunlight’. In African cities from Kinshasa to Khartoum, trees are the primary source of shade, providing not only respite from the blinding light but also from the heat. In places where the midday temperature can rise to over 40°C, the chance to sit – even for 10 minutes – under a neem tree is more than simply welcome: it is essential. All over the continent, in informal settlements, central business districts, affluent suburbs and marketplaces, you will find people sitting under trees, trading, gossiping, arguing, eating – the full panoply of urban daily life. Heated political debates take place, especially in new democracies nearing elections; men get their hair cut; mobile phone stockists hustle customers; and women cook on tiny open-flame pots, expertly catering to mealtime crowds.