Climate change is increasingly affecting children’s access to quality education worldwide. In schools across multiple regions–especially in tropical and low-income countries–extreme heat waves have emerged as a silent barrier, undermining concentration, academic performance, and the physical and emotional well-being of millions of students and teachers. To make this invisible crisis impossible to ignore, UNICEF Brazil set up an immersive installation called “Unlikely Greenhouse” at the Esplanada dos Ministérios, a landmark avenue in Brazil’s capital where federal ministries and major civic demonstrations are located.
The installation transformed a life-size, scenographic classroom into a literal greenhouse heated to 38°C (100°F), simulating the temperatures many children already face in real classrooms during heat waves. By allowing visitors to feel the discomfort caused by extreme heat, UNICEF sought to demonstrate how rising temperatures are reshaping the basic experience of attending school and to reinforce the urgent need for climate adaptation within educational systems.
The concept is simple yet powerful: in numerous regions, temperatures are rising to levels that make healthy learning virtually impossible. Under such conditions, schools resemble greenhouses more suitable for cultivating heat-resistant plants than for fostering educational activities.
Beyond the physical experience, children who visited the greenhouse were invited to participate in educational activities about how climate change affects daily school life. The “Unlikely Greenhouse” project was conceived by ad agency Artplan in Brazil.
“‘Unlikely Greenhouse’ starts with a direct question: how can scientific data be transformed into an experience that generates instant understanding? Instead of relying solely on verbal communication, we proposed a tangible encounter, a classroom where people can physically feel the impact of a heat wave. This brings the issue closer to the public and helps build a debate grounded in evidence and real perception”, shared Artplan creative directors Pedro Rosas and Pedro Galdi in a joint statement.
This film–produced by Brazilian production company Genco–chronicles the initiative.
