Evaluation of the influence of traditional village square layout factors on wind comfort

The layout factors of traditional village squares play a significant role in determining the comfortable outdoor wind environment, making them the primary venue for outdoor communication activities among residents. This study focuses on the traditional village square spaces within the jurisdiction of Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, China. Through onsite measurements and CFD simulations, the effects of various layout factors on the wind environment are compared and analyzed. The results are as follows: (1) The plane permeability index of the enclosed square space layout impacts wind speed, comfort, and ventilation performance. Lowering the index will decrease wind speed, but it will improve comfort. (2) Increasing the height-to-cross-section ratio index of the enclosed layout of the square space will reduce wind speed, thereby improving wind comfort. (3) Increasing the enclosure rate index of the square space enclosure layout will decrease wind speed, resulting in better wind comfort. Overall, the research findings indicate that careful consideration should be given to the enclosed layout of traditional village square spaces to ensure optimal wind conditions. •Square layout affects wind comfort in traditional village squares.•We validated a CFD model with onsite measurements.•We investigated 42 square layouts on wind comfort.•Wind comfort involves plane permeability, height-to-cross-section ratio, and enclosure rate.