4 ms·

While you're right from an exercise standpoint, you're dead wrong from a design one, at least if you want to apply it broadly. A lot of us live in places where

While you're right from an exercise standpoint, you're dead wrong from a design one, at least if you want to apply it broadly. A lot of us live in places where summer days can easily top 100 degrees, and the better part of the year it's just too darn unpleasant to walk outside. I suppose it's possible if one works at an office with showers and lockers to allow for changing clothes, but even then it's unpleasant and still unsuitable for everything else.

DoreenMichele 6y ago
Historically, Middle Eastern cities were built on plateaus above the desert floor and streets were oriented such that prevailing winds cooled them. That plus other design decisions helped keep streets at tolerable temperatures during the day, even when it was above 100 degrees Fahrenheit out on the desert floor. We have forgotten how to do that kind of thing, but that doesn't mean it cannot be done. There is a lot we can do to mitigate urban heat island effect and use design to make even our outdoor public spaces pedestrian-friendly in terms of local weather.
- heyoni 6y ago
  I'd like to read more about this, and just wondering if you could point me in the right direction.
  - DoreenMichele 6y ago
    I don't really have anything at my fingertips, but a quick google gets me this piece that looks decent on a quick skim: https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00380121/document https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00380121/document I run r/UrbanForestry. It's brand new and we are likely to talk about passive solar design at the city level as part of what we do there. I already mentioned the thing I stated above about Middle Eastern cities. You are welcome to join us there. Some terms that may be helpful in a search: Iranian vernacular architecture; desert vernacular architecture; passive solar. It is something I hope to put more information together on, but one challenge is that I imagine a lot of primary source materials from that region of the world are not in English and I never learned any of the major languages of that area, like Farsi and Arabic. I do occasionally speak with Middle Eastern planners and the like and ask them questions, but I haven't yet hit pay dirt in a big way. My recollection is that articles about Iranian architecture have generally been the most useful and promising so far. Iran was previously known as Persia and it is one of the older cultures on the planet and has a rich history. Edit: I threw some more articles together here: https://www.reddit.com/r/UrbanForestry/comments/jhmmuz/the_desert_city_as_an_ancient_living_example_of/ https://www.reddit.com/r/UrbanForestry/comments/jhmmuz/the_d...
    - heyoni 6y ago
      This is a lot of great information, and I'll check out that subreddit when I'm at a computer. Thank you!

DoreenMichele 6y ago

Historically, Middle Eastern cities were built on plateaus above the desert floor and streets were oriented such that prevailing winds cooled them. That plus other design decisions helped keep streets at tolerable temperatures during the day, even when it was above 100 degrees Fahrenheit out on the desert floor. We have forgotten how to do that kind of thing, but that doesn't mean it cannot be done. There is a lot we can do to mitigate urban heat island effect and use design to make even our outdoor public spaces pedestrian-friendly in terms of local weather.

heyoni 6y ago
I'd like to read more about this, and just wondering if you could point me in the right direction.
- DoreenMichele 6y ago
  I don't really have anything at my fingertips, but a quick google gets me this piece that looks decent on a quick skim: https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00380121/document https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00380121/document I run r/UrbanForestry. It's brand new and we are likely to talk about passive solar design at the city level as part of what we do there. I already mentioned the thing I stated above about Middle Eastern cities. You are welcome to join us there. Some terms that may be helpful in a search: Iranian vernacular architecture; desert vernacular architecture; passive solar. It is something I hope to put more information together on, but one challenge is that I imagine a lot of primary source materials from that region of the world are not in English and I never learned any of the major languages of that area, like Farsi and Arabic. I do occasionally speak with Middle Eastern planners and the like and ask them questions, but I haven't yet hit pay dirt in a big way. My recollection is that articles about Iranian architecture have generally been the most useful and promising so far. Iran was previously known as Persia and it is one of the older cultures on the planet and has a rich history. Edit: I threw some more articles together here: https://www.reddit.com/r/UrbanForestry/comments/jhmmuz/the_desert_city_as_an_ancient_living_example_of/ https://www.reddit.com/r/UrbanForestry/comments/jhmmuz/the_d...
  - heyoni 6y ago
    This is a lot of great information, and I'll check out that subreddit when I'm at a computer. Thank you!