Open Space Scenario on Riverside Settlement to Access Comfortable Wind Environment

Abstract

Beyond confines of the geography, urban form has direct impact to its microclimatic condition. The constituted set of buildings and open spaces contribute to its comfortable wind environment. This paper examines incorporation of open spaces as passive urban ventilation to infiltrate wind into a riverside settlement. The research conducted in warm-humid riverside settlement: Pasar Lama Tangerang. The actual wind environment is below desired breezes for outdoor activity like strolling. Upon actual site conditions, such as prevailing wind and morphology of existing buildings, we established three urban morphology scenarios: (1) ground floor open space, (2) pocket open space, (3) combination scenario. The research coupled with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation to calculate air flow rate and wind flow direction in every scenario. Study results reveal the three scenarios can prevent air flow from stagnating and allow better permeability of urban air. Reducing land coverage (open space) is one of the most efficient strategy to increase air flow rate up to 2 times the existing case. CFD simulation provide comprehensive data and help to understand systems, performance and implication of design. The capacity to measure climatic parameters compared and correlated with morphological and topography characteristic can improve the quality of built environment.