A quantitative study of geometric characteristics of urban space based on the correlation with microclimate

Abstract

With the sustainability of contemporary cities gaining more and more attention, interest in the correlation between urban geometry and urban microclimate is increasing. On this basis, this paper aims to investigate the quantification of geometric characteristics of urban space. Based on a combination of easily accessible software packages, a quantitative method composed of spatial partition, spatial characteristic indices (area, shape, and openness), and a spatial classification chart is proposed for the study of the correlation between urban spatial geometry and urban microclimate. Two blocks with different spatial geometric characteristics of the Xinjiekou central area in Nanjing are selected as the cases to verify the operability and effectiveness of this method. The results reveal that complex real urban space can be quantitatively described and classified by this spatial quantification method. In addition, a possible correlation between urban spatial geometry and urban wind environment is demonstrated by using the method, which may also be applicable to the correlation study between urban spatial geometry and other environmental issues.