5.1 Comfort
Comfort in the city The comfort of the urban spaces has a very direct influence on the development of a city. Wind, sun, shadow and daylight are all key elements determining the potential of the urban space to provide the framework for a dynamic city life. Cities compete to attract the best brains, businesses and culture to be abreast of developments. In the future, genuine metropolises will be sustainable cities. As is the case for buildings, the climate is a fundamental parameter in city planning. The climate is decisive for the design and development of cities. When looking at the city, particularly the spaces between the buildings are interesting : the free zones where the climate has room to unfold. The urban microclimate cannot be controlled mechanically as the indoor air quality. The building volumes dictate the local climate zones – and therefore, urban planners have a large responsibility when new master plans or redevelopments of existing areas are designed. The success criterion for a master plan is good urban spaces. In this context, climate conditions play an important role.
people’s ability to stay outside in the hottest summer months. Thus, a thorough examination of local climate conditions is decisive for optimal planning of the city, with the best possible comfort under the specific conditions. The aim for comfort means that buildings must be designed to incorporate the given local climate as a co-player. A planning strategy based on sun, shadow, wind and daylight analyses results in optimal comfort. By exploiting the available natural resources, the urban space can be optimised with few, simple means. The needs and wishes of the users are decisive for the development of successful urban spaces, and key parameters for the city identity. Energy consumption and urban planning strategies rely on the specific user behaviour – and the comfort of the urban spaces determines the sustainable potential of the city.
The needs and wishes of the users are decisive for the development of successful urban spaces. Good, attractive urban spaces go hand in hand with comfort. In Northern Europe, dark, humid spaces are the most dangerous enemy to city life – while sun/controlled wind conditions is a magnet for activity. In warm parts of the world, for instance the Middle East, shadow and the natural ability of wind to provide ventilation are prerequisites for DESIGN WITH KNOWLEDGE |
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