Planning for livable compact vertical cities: A quantitative systematic review of the impact of urban geometry on thermal and visual comfort in high-rise precincts

Abstract

Globally, urbanisation and population growth trends are fundamentally reshaping cities. More compact vertical urban forms are emerging in a greater diversity of locations. However, research since the 1960s has consistently raised questions about the health and wellbeing consequences of living the “high life”. The Covid-19 pandemic also brought into sharp focus potential vulnerabilities. A quantitative systematic literature review process has identified the current state of research on high-rise (HR) precincts with respect to four key environmental quality objectives that have implications for health and wellbeing - thermal comfort, daylighting, visual privacy, and outlook. The review selected 72 studies and identified widely accepted and proven concepts, methods, and variables; correlations; and gaps in the current literature. Broad ranging evidence to support the setting of planning and urban design parameters in HR precincts with respect to urban heat, ventilation, and daylighting was identified, but there is limited evidence to support measures aimed at supporting visual privacy, and outlook. Research has confirmed associations between the objectives and a limited number of urban geometry variables including building height. Increasingly, green surface cover is of interest but the relative benefits of green strategies over urban form strategies is yet to be proven in a range of climate contexts. A person-environment fit research framework is presented to support multi-objective optimisation and cross-cutting research connecting urban planning, urban physics, and urban health related research. The integration of post-occupancy evaluations to ensure that lived experience, satisfaction, and preferences are considered in the weighting of objectives is advocated.