Urban formation as a tool for controlling air and heat flows: Strategies for enhancing the climate resilience and well-being of cities
Abstract
This research aims to analyze the role of urban form and fabric as effective tools for controlling the local microclimate within urban environments, particularly in regions characterized by dynamic climatic conditions. The study is grounded in a central hypothesis that traditional urban configurations—with their inherent spatial characteristics and flexible layouts—serve as intelligent, nature-based solutions for enhancing urban livability and addressing the challenges of climate change.
The research adopts a descriptive-analytical methodology, supported by a comparative case study analysis of the old city of Tripoli, as a traditional model from North Africa, alongside the historic city of Córdoba in Spain, representing a European urban center influenced by Arab Islamic architectural heritage. The findings reveal that the similarities in urban configuration strategies between the two cities played a pivotal role in enhancing natural ventilation and reducing surface temperatures, thereby improving thermal comfort for their inhabitants.
A review of recent scientific literature in the fields of urban physics and climatic design highlights the significance of compact, cohesive, and shaded urban fabrics in mitigating the adverse effects of urban heat islands. The study emphasizes that drawing inspiration from these traditional design principles and consciously integrating them into contemporary urban planning presents a promising pathway toward more resilient and livable cities.
Furthermore, the research clarifies the nuanced distinctions among three commonly interchanged terms in the field of planning and architecture, each carrying specific and precise implications that must be properly understood. It concludes by stressing the need to reassess traditional urban models not merely as cultural legacies, but as dynamic design systems capable of offering effective environmental solutions in the face of accelerating urbanization and climate change.
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