Federations members and Dr. Jessica Thorn at the opening ceremony of the Shack Shade initiative at the Shack Dwellers Federation Headquarters, 2020




Shade Solutions is a social enterprise initiative aimed at providing affordable shade solutions to the people of Namibia. The project is developing a modular system that can be easily adapted to existing buildings and used to enrich both public and private spaces. Additionally, an affordable model is being developed for prospective buyers from informal or formal settlements in Namibia who want to upgrade their existing buildings and add layers of shade to their outdoor spaces.

The concept of the "Suddenly Shade Structure" is derived from climate shelter practices and responsive shading uses within the community. The proof of concept was developed in collaboration with the Namibia Housing Action Group (NHAG) and the Shack Dweller Federation of Namibia (SDFN) at their headquarters in Hakahana Street Windhoek. The structure provides partial shelter from the arid climate for group meetings in front of the headquarters. The question posed is whether these shade structures can be advanced as systemic infrastructure as part of a local climate adaptation effort to build sustainable social enterprises and household resilience.

Shade Solutions offers affordable shade systems to improve climate adaptation and urban resilience. The Federation Headquarters' original modeling indicated three options for the prototype on-site, demonstrating its different use potentials and material and shade characteristics. The Shade Structure becomes a spatial device that defines outdoor uses. Simple steel and gum pole structures support metal sheeting as shelter, with different materials for cladding or shading. The system utilizes a light steel trellis system that allows the steel section to act as a beam and span a greater distance while using less steel. The goal is to shelter the Federation's daily activities and work, such as meetings, workshops, and group gatherings.













The Shade Solutions project partners include the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN), Namibia Housing Action Group (NHAG), Oshiwa Crafts, Segber Consulting, KBAA, and JJ.

Trees sponsored by Peri-Urban Resilient Ecosystems are also part of the project. The aim of Shade Solutions is to bring affordable and sustainable shade solutions to the people of Namibia, enriching public and private spaces, and building climate resilience in the community.