Abstract:
Humans by nature are social creatures, therefore the provision of public spaces for social activity
is an integral part of urban design. The use of public space is also seen to have a positive impact
on the health and well-being of people. The modern-day decline in urban public space usage is
due to comfortable thermal environments being created indoors through the use of technology
and advanced design principles. The primary focus of this study was to understand the effect of
microclimatic conditions on the behaviour of people in outdoor urban public spaces, in order to
identify design methods to create a more conducive environment.
A plaza and waterfront in the city of Kandy were identified as urban public spaces for this study.
Physical observations, activity mapping, photographic surveys, thermal sensation questionnaires,
3D modelling, and simulations of the thermal environment were the methods used for data
collection. The cross-analysis of data led to a better understanding that in tropical climates shade
is not the only solution.
Air temperature and solar radiation greatly impact the use of urban public spaces and people
adapt to environmental conditions by experience. Wind, shade, vegetation cover, and
surrounding urban geometry also contribute to thermal perception. It was inferred that there was
no one primary factor but rather the culmination of all factors in different ratios that causes the
environmental temperature to morph and change, affecting the thermal comfort of a space. The
results of this study are used to provide a design-based recommendation in order to achieve an
optimum level of thermal comfort and provide design efficacy for urban public spaces.
