STAGNANT CITY Poor air quality is what can lead to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) (S. S. Y. Lau 2006). The spaces most susceptible include areas with only a few small open spaces leading to poor air circulation and stagnation that leads to the build up of both pollutants and contaminants. The adjacent plan details how the prevailing Easterly winds find difficulty in penetrating the dense urban fabric of Sham Shui Po and Mong Kok. Those streets perpendicular to the winds are most likely to be areas of stagnation. At an urban level it is difficult to discuss indoor air quality although in Lau’s post-SARS report he suggests that a combined assessment of both the indoor and outdoor air qualities is mutually beneficial.
The low and unvaried building heights, narrow streets and dense housing blocks all help to contribute to the urban microclimate that is a key effect of urban canyons.
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