Bioclimatic comfort and solar responsive urban design in the traditional street texture of Diyarbakir’s Suriçi region

TL;DR

This study explores how traditional shaded structures in Diyarbakir's historic area affect thermal comfort and urban design in hot-arid climates.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the thermal performance of traditional kabaltıs and their role in climate-responsive urban design.

Findings

Shaded zones and kabaltıs showed lower air temperature and PET values compared to open areas.

Urban geometry like building height and street width significantly influenced thermal comfort.

No direct correlation was found between Sky View Factor and Physiological Equivalent Temperature.

Abstract

People in urban areas (such as streets, parks, semi-open and enclosed spaces) are exposed to varying microclimatic conditions. These conditions change depending on environmental characteristics and directly affect individuals’ bioclimatic comfort levels. The lack of climate-responsive urban planning exposes inhabitants to uncomfortable thermal stress. Establishing climate-sensitive thermal comfort conditions at the micro scale is therefore essential for creating more livable urban environments. In hot-arid climates, kabaltıs, roofed passages integrated into the street network, are among the spatial elements that influence pedestrian thermal comfort. However, there is limited knowledge in the literature regarding the thermal performance of these shaded structures, which provide both protection from solar radiation and shelter from rain and wind. This study aims to reveal the impact of kabaltıs, as traditional urban elements in hot-arid regions, on bioclimatic comfort, and to contribute to the development of climate-responsive urban design strategies. Due to the scarcity of research on the thermal performance of kabaltıs, the findings of this study provide new insights into climate-adaptive design solutions within traditional street networks and serve as a guide for urban planning practices. The research was conducted in the historical district of Diyarbakır Suriçi, focusing on six kabaltıs and their surrounding streets located in the Ziya Gökalp, Abdaldede, and Süleyman Nazif neighborhoods. At a total of 19 measurement points, air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed were recorded over the course of one year. Using the RayMan Pro software, Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) values were calculated, and Sky View Factor (SVF) values were determined for comparative analysis. The results indicate that the studied streets and kabaltıs were exposed to varying degrees of heat and cold stress throughout the year. Shaded zones and kabaltıs exhibited lower air temperature and PET values compared to other points. In this hot-arid setting, the presence of covered, shaded areas was found to be effective in reducing solar exposure and lowering thermal stress during summer months. The measurements further revealed that urban geometry, particularly building height and street width, influenced solar radiation access and wind speed, thereby affecting PET values. In addition, no direct correlation was observed between SVF and PET, highlighting the need to consider other parameters when assessing bioclimatic comfort.

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