Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice - the longest day in the year; the day when the sun reaches its zenith. A good day to check shadows.

As we see in the first picture the sidewalk next to the tallest part of the Five Points Plaza (north side of building) is still in shadow. It will never see direct sunlight.





Lest you think that the shadow is caused by the awnings, look again. This shot is from a vantage further east where there are no awnings.










And in case you wanted to see where the sun was, when standing in the shadow, it was hidden by the building.

While this may not be very significant - after all, we know that high rise buildings block light, cause wind tunnels, trap heat and magnify noise - there may be a glimmer of good news here.

Maybe these high rises make a more pedestrian friendly space. It is clear that enclosing the sidewalk in an arcade is not required for screening from the sun. For those joggers that have a downtown route, just stick to the south sidewalks of the street, no arcades are required for shade, its always there!

Finally, maybe we should ponder the recent quote of the day: Man stands in his own shadow and wonders why it is dark - Ancient Zen saying.