Windkomfort

Windkomfort, or wind comfort, is a concept in urban design and architecture describing the level of pedestrian comfort with respect to wind conditions in outdoor spaces. It considers wind speed, direction, turbulence, and duration, and how these factors influence perceived comfort, safety, and usability of plazas, promenades, and streets. The concept is highly context-dependent and varies with climate, season, and activity.

In planning, windkomfort is used to improve outdoor livability, support outdoor seating and markets, and manage ventilation in hot weather while reducing exposure to cold gusts in cooler climates. It is a key consideration in pedestrian-friendly city models, and it interacts with other goals such as solar access, noise, and aesthetics.

Design approaches include arranging street canyons and building masses to channel or dampen flows, using shielding elements such as trees, hedges, screens, and terraced facades, and adopting architectural features like recessed entrances, courtyards, porches, and permeable screens. Computational tools such as CFD simulations or wind tunnel tests are commonly used to assess windkomfort during the design process.

Evaluation relies on wind speed and turbulence thresholds appropriate to the local climate and activities. Because comfort can be subjective, planners often use ranges rather than fixed values and consult guidelines from wind-engineering and urban-design literature. Trade-offs with sunlight, aesthetics, and energy efficiency are routinely considered.

Related topics include urban microclimate, wind engineering, pedestrian comfort, and urban design.