Cool Noons is a European project born from an urgent challenge: how to make Mediterranean cities livable and welcoming during the hottest hours of the day.
The name itself is a play of contrasts: noon means midday, when the sun is strongest, while cool evokes freshness and comfort. Together they express the goal of turning heat into an opportunity to rethink urban spaces, improving thermal comfort for residents and visitors.
Three keywords guide this vision: Participative process, Cool Paths, and Climate mitigation solutions.
Participative process
The heart of Cool Noons is participation.
Residents, students, tourists, and local stakeholders join workshops, walks, and focus groups to share ideas and experiences.
Participation also continues in testing: surveys and interviews help assess the effectiveness of actions and refine them.
Why is this important?
Those who live the city daily know its challenges best and can suggest concrete, lasting solutions.
Cool Paths
Cool Paths are urban routes in the pilot cities. Some are busy streets that need to be “refreshed” with trees, pergolas, or fountains; others are cooler itineraries that encourage people to explore less-known areas.
These paths help face heatwaves, enhance neighborhoods, redistribute tourist flows, and improve quality of life.
The goal: ensure comfort for residents and visitors, while promoting a more sustainable model of urban tourism.
Climate mitigation solutions
Climate mitigation solutions are actions that reduce the effects of climate change in cities.
In Cool Noons, they include:
- Nature-based solutions: trees, gardens, vertical greenery.
- Water-based solutions: fountains, misting devices, refill points.
- Urban furniture & Mediterranean architecture: pergolas, arcades, shaded benches.
- Technology & multimedia: apps, maps, augmented reality.
- Behavioral practices: everyday actions that cut emissions and improve livability.
All share one goal: transforming heat into an opportunity to rethink cities, making them more sustainable, welcoming, and resilient.
