Effects of Urban Space Opening Layouts on Pedestrian-level Wind Conditions

This research aims to provide some knowledge for architects and urban designers on urban public space form optimization in terms of wind environment during initial design stage. In this paper, different vertical opening layouts were investigated on the influence of different region's spatial ventilation by CFD numerical modelling. Spatial mean velocity magnitude at pedestrian-level and air flow rate at space vertical opening and top boundaries were calculated to evaluate spatial ventilation. Simulation results show that appropriate vertical opening layouts could improve velocity magnitude of space's recirculation area. When the inlet opening is approaching the opposite side of the outlet opening, spatial mean velocity of some recirculation regions could be increased by more than 60%. In terms of the inlet opening position, when the opening is located at the side of south space boundary (windward direction), more airflow could be induced into space.