Page - 190 - in Mobile Culture Studies - The Journal, Volume 3/2017

190 Mobile Culture Studies. The Journal 3 2017Marina Popovic | Meeting urban climate events for non-uniform thermal conditions, by occupying the sunlit and dry space with their bodies while exposing only one part of the body (hand) to cooling effects of mist clouds and shade. This behavioral adaptation suggests a preference for cooling climate effects localized exclusively on one part of the body or a preference for simultaneous exposure to distinct climatic condi- tions and can be explained by the phenomenon of “spatial alliesthesia”. These two types of behavioral adaptations realized accordingly to temporal and spatial alliesthesia take place most frequently in the space surrounding the climate regulating physical structure. Furthermore, behavioral opportunities and the articulation of immediate experience are addressed within the framework of affordances developed by James J. Gibson and his pioneer- ing work in ecological psychology in the 1970s. Due to the unstable and ephemeral nature of climatic phenomena, flows that provide thermal pleasure or delight and contribute to perceived comfort can be referred to as event affordances. The potential of climate event affordances to engage the pedestrian depends on the availability of perceptible information relative to its presence and its functioning in line with the pedestrian’s mobility, intentions, and level of attention. Therefore, changes in pedestrian paths and body dispositions are put in relation with the emanation of sunlit/shaded areas, humidity and air flows in order to shed light on the dynamic interrelations established among individuals and environmental features. By adopting the relational focus and the action-in-context perspective the present article demonstrates the importance of thermal expectation (or anticipation) and the ways the bodies on the move reveal and shape urban climatic ambiances to varying degrees. In conclusion, two main findings are emphasized. The first one is related to the temporal dynamic and predictability of the humidified air flow propagation. It is shown that the unex- pected encounter with humidified air flows can entail behaviors suggesting depreciation and avoidance. This implies that in order to be appreciated by a greater number of passers-by, the information on environmental conditions has to be available and detectable at distance, thus allowing the process of anticipation. The second finding is related to the spatial zone of influence of the urban apparatus mod- ifying climate. Due to the volatile nature of humidity and air flows, the physical structure is modifying climate in the space ‘contained’ by the structure as well as in its immediate sur- roundings. Accordingly, the behavioral adaptations take place in these two types of spaces, the one that is ‘inside’ or sheltered by the structure and the other that is in its immediate surround- ings. Additionally, pedestrians engage with climate in order to avoid it or to experience it by exposing solely the hand to humidity, while occupying neighboring hot and dry environment with their bodies. These types of behavioral adaptations take place in the space surrounding the physical structure modifying the climate. These findings suggest that the design of urban features modifying climate, and in particu- lar inducing cold by introducing shade and mist clouds, requires consideration of the surround- ing environment as an integral part of the project.