Mapping “wind comfort” in public urban spaces of Galle fort, Sri Lanka

Abstract

With a focus on public urban spaces, appropriate design could enrich the quality of urban life. These spaces should be comfortable and safe enough to invite people to stay outdoors, unhindered by numerous impacts of the microclimate, like excess wind. This research maps the influence of local wind behaviour on the users in public spaces of Galle Fort, Sri Lanka - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The microclimatic context of the Galle Fort is modelled by means of computational simulation utilising the software ENVI-met, with a focus on generating data on dominant wind velocities and wind directions in the study area. Selected urban plots are mapped to identify; discomfort zones created by wind velocities exceeding threshold values. The study is limited to selected simple activity typologies and utilise the thermal comfort indices Predicted Mean Vote to communicate results. The results show that uncomfortable velocities occur at building corners, streets, squares and on the Fort rampart, high enough to disturb activities associated with the sitting position in the South, Southwest, and West wind directions. Conclusions draw on the need for wind assessment in public spaces for comfort and the importance of establishing a holistic approach towards the wind comfort environment.