Edge of Shade

Author

• Zhengguang (Lancelot) LiFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-22-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Architecture (MArch)

Department

Architecture

First Advisor

Germán Pallares-Avitia

Second Advisor

Anne Tate

Abstract

Shadow is usually treated as a by-product of architecture. In public space, however, it quietly shapes comfort, orientation, movement, and the willingness to pause or stay. This thesis asks how shadow can become a spatial material that is designed, assembled, and occupied.

Drawing from East Asian architectural and garden traditions, the project studies shade as a condition between exposure and protection. Field research in Providence serves as a testing ground, where three sites represent typical urban gap conditions: a linear passage, an open civic ground, and a neighborhood lot. These sites reveal how existing shadows, circulation, and public use are often present but not fully organized.

Rather than designing one fixed pavilion, Edge of Shade develops a modular public-space prototype that can respond to different sites, climates, seasons, and patterns of use. The system is organized through four elements: frame, veil, canopy, and edge. Together, they create a soft edge—an inhabitable threshold shaped by filtered light, material layers, and public occupation.

Through shade densities of 25%, 50%, and 75%, the thesis connects atmosphere with structure, comfort, and behavior. Ultimately, Edge of Shade proposes that small urban gaps can be activated not by filling them with a singular object, but by thickening their edges and making the boundary between shade and exposure more comfortable, adaptable, and occupiable.

Recommended Citation

Li, Zhengguang (Lancelot), "Edge of Shade" (2026). Masters Theses. 1647.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/masterstheses/1647

Creative Commons License

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