Architectural Characteristics of Traditional Vernacular Dwellings and Their Impact on Courtyard Wind Environment Comfort: A Case Study of Qingshan Fishing Village in Qingdao, China

Abstract

Residential courtyards reflect diverse human-environment relationships and serve as important carriers of residential culture. However, their spatial characteristics remain unclear, and strategies for optimizing their wind environment have not yet been identified. Adopting a typological approach, this study examines the spatial composition of the courtyards in the Qingshan Fishing Village of Laoshan and investigates their distribution patterns within the village. First, a cluster analysis of the courtyards’ spatial components identified five main categories and fourteen subcategories, with the front-courtyard and territorial types collectively accounting for 80%. Second, an examination of courtyard types in relation to external spatial forms yielded eight combined types. Nearly half of the territorial courtyards are terraced, while most of the others feature a flat connection. Finally, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to quantitatively evaluate how different courtyard layouts and entrance orientations affect the wind environment in enclosed courtyards. The results show that: (1) courtyard layout has a significant impact on the internal wind environment. Under the prevailing annual wind direction, compared with the front-courtyard type, side courtyards reduce wind speed by 5%, whereas rear courtyards achieve an 82% reduction. (2) Courtyards with a turning entrance reduce wind speed by an additional 12% compared to those with a direct entrance.

Keywords: Traditional Residences, Courtyard Space, Typology, Wind environment, Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)