MeridianWay

Pedestrian navigation for your sun exposure.

MeridianWay calculates two walking routes between a starting point and a destination. The goal isn't the fastest path, it's the one that maximises or minimises your exposure to the sun.

The app analyses the sun's exact position at the chosen time and the shadows cast by surrounding buildings. For routes within Switzerland, buildings come from swisstopo, with a measured height for every one of them. Elsewhere, they come from the open data of OpenStreetMap.

The results are suggestions, not precise instructions. Outside Switzerland, building heights in OpenStreetMap are partial but regularly updated by the community: some shaded areas may go undetected, and certain routes are actually shadier than shown.

In winter, soak up the warmth of the sun. In summer, stay cool in the shade.