Abstract
Today, although most of the international research community considers climate change adaptation to be essential, there is limited knowledge on its concrete integration with contemporary placemaking. Yet, with the emergence of the adaptation agenda, the effects of urban climatology are continually coercing the need for concrete action to increase the climatic responsiveness of urban environments. This article is constructed upon a “Research for Design” approach, and focuses upon improving urban design guidelines by reviewing existing theoretical/empirical research on how pedestrian comfort levels can be addressed through public space design. The objective is to incorporate such qualitative and quantitative interrogations into a generic tool such as the “Place Diagram” by the PPS. A total of six intangible criteria, and six measurable attributes, are explored and structured in order to introduce new generic design considerations which can contribute to the responsiveness of urban outdoor spaces in an era of expected climate variability.
Highlights
The art of contemporary placemaking is one which draws upon the early teachings of authors such as Whyte (1980), Gehl (1987) and Carmona et al (2003)
Based upon the integration of new qualitative and quantitative criteria when addressing comfort levels in public spaces, this article suggests that existing approaches such as the “Place Diagram”can, and should, be modified in the light of the opportunities presented by climatic adaptation
This article argues that approaches such as the“Place Diagram”need to be modified in order to consider the ever-growing importance of pedestrian comfort given events of increased temperatures, heat waves and urban heat island (UHI) effects
Summary
The art of contemporary placemaking is one which draws upon the early teachings of authors such as Whyte (1980), Gehl (1987) and Carmona et al (2003). The process of placemaking has accompanied issues intrinsically associated with the physical, social, ecological, cultural and “spiritual” qualities of the urban realm Adjoining such interdisciplinarity, new obstacles and issues are continually raising the need to rethink the process of placemaking. The phenomenon of temperature escalations due to possible climate change shall be approached in order to identify how public spaces can meet such challenges both today, and in the future. It is here where new spheres such as climatology, biometeorology, and JOURNAL OF URBANISM 357
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