August 11, 2025
Student News, Faculty News

Cambridge, MA – Extreme heat is on the rise in Massachusetts and residents are facing serious health risks. The MA Department of Public Health (DPH) reported that at least 30 heat-related deaths have occurred in Massachusetts over the past decade, and these numbers are increasing rapidly as the state experiences more extremely hot days and heat waves each year. Heat Blooms, a new public art project installed in Cambridge’s Brattle Square on August 4, 2025, alerts viewers to extreme heat’s effects on local communities through a striking display of handcrafted, heat-activated flowers that inspire curiosity, cultivate empathy, and spark dialogue.
Heat Blooms was designed and executed by UMass Amherst Associate Professor Carolina Aragón, architectural designer Brynya Ablamsky, and their Art for Public Good team in collaboration with UMass Amherst students and design and engineering firms across New England. The project’s kinetic sculpture acts as a visual thermometer by using smart memory alloy wires that react to temperature changes. The wires hold the colorful, vinyl flowers in bloom when the temperature in Cambridge rises above 85°F, which the MA DPH considers a “High Threat” to communities that experience this temperature for three consecutive days. As the temperature cools, however, the wires soften, partially closing the petals.
Carolina Aragón, the project’s lead artist and founder of Art for Public Good, has been fascinated by how smart materials work as environmental sensors. For the last eight years, Aragón has incorporated these materials into her teaching and, more recently, in her Art for Public Good projects.
“I’ve been trying to produce artworks that respond to environmental conditions in ways that are easy to understand and that give each project a sense that it has a life of its own,” said Aragón.
As the flowers transform throughout the day, Heat Blooms invites the public to witness what is happening in their environment and to reflect upon climate change’s effects on everyday lives. The 67 blooms represent the number of heat-related calls dialed in Cambridge since 2021. For architectural designer Brynya Ablamsky, this decision to inscribe meaning in the flowers aids in “humanizing the structure and the space.” Heat Blooms signals a community’s call for help, but as the blooms create a canopy of shade, the sculpture becomes a powerful symbol of collective action and hope in the heart of the city.
Heat Blooms arrives as the third installation in a recent series of Art for Public Good projects about extreme heat in Massachusetts that share a focus on education and environmental justice. In 2024, Aragón and her team partnered with Cooler Communities and the Duggan Academy in Springfield, MA, to call attention to extreme heat’s effects on schools lacking air conditioning. SWARM debuted at the Springfield Science Museum as a dynamic display of origami butterflies that changed colors in response to temperature rise, unveiling messages written by middle school students expressing their concerns about extreme heat and their hopes for the future. The project recently won the 2025 CODAawards Merit Award in the Social + Climate category.
Heat Blooms builds upon Art for Public Good’s mission to use handmade, human-scale artwork to make the realities of climate change visible and to provide resources so communities can advocate for their needs and explore lasting solutions.
Art for Public Good projects are made possible by robust collaborations and the intensive creative and technical endeavors of individuals striving to make a difference. The Heat Blooms team extends a special thanks to UMass Amherst Graduate Assistant Nick Dombrowski, who led the project’s research and development, and undergraduate student Grace Kirkpatrick for her design and communications support. The team also thanks Claudia Zarazua & Lilian Hsu from the City of Cambridge, Denise Jillson from the Harvard Square Business Association, and Nancy Rihan-Porter from the City of Cambridge Department of Public Health.
Heat Blooms was commissioned by the City of Cambridge’s Shade is Social Justice program. The installation will be on display in Brattle Square in Cambridge until September 28, 2025.
To learn more about Heat Blooms, visit https://www.artforpublicgood.com/work-1/heatblooms. For announcements about upcoming public events, follow Art for Public Good on social media @artforpublicgood. For the MA Department of Public Health’s resources on extreme heat, visit https://www.mass.gov/extreme-heat.

About Art for Public Good
Art for Public Good aims to positively impact communities affected by climate change and environmental justice issues. The group engages with scientists, community groups, civic agencies, schools, and youth organizations to co-create art projects to bring better understanding and provide actionable paths for addressing environmental and health challenges. Projects bridge science, art, craft, and activism, in order to provide new ways to understand the impacts of climate change and environmental pollution in ways that are less intimidating and bring hope.
About the UMass Amherst Department of Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning
The Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning (LARP) at UMass Amherst provides sustainable solutions to complex problems. The department educates outstanding students, serves diverse communities, and undertakes influential scholarship. LARP seeks to exemplify a new generation of professionals and educators who work collaboratively across disciplines and cultures. This provides leadership to find regenerative, equitable, and beautiful designs and spatial and social practices.
Photo Credits: Matt Conti