Wind tunnel testing to ensure pedestrian level wind comfort around a tall development of residential and commercial towers in extreme topography
A dazzling collection of 24 residential towers perched atop an expansive podium of retail stores looms above the surrounding city on a steep, unforgiving cliff in Cankaya, Turkey. Made up of 1,500 residential and 26 retail units, this massive development covers 1.6km of land high above Ankara.
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The Challenge
Although Ankara is not known for its strong winds, the extreme surrounding topography posed design challenges when considering pedestrian level wind. RWDI, due to our extensive experience in Turkey, was selected as the consultant to determine any areas of higher-than-average wind speed on the development’s pedestrian level.
Our Approach
As wind consultants on this development, RWDI’s team of experts:
- Leveraged extensive knowledge of wind behavior in relation to tall towers and challenging topography to create an outdoor environment that would harmonize the tower layout and design as well as decelerate the amplified wind from the elevated location
- Collected long-term weather data from surrounding airports to obtain site-specific design wind speeds and construct an exact replica of the cliff’s topography and all towers in the development’s masterplan
- Conducted five wind tunnel tests and analyzed hundreds of data sets to develop substantial topographic modeling
The Outcome
The results of our wind tunnel tests allowed for easily implemented recommendations involving aesthetically pleasing fencing and landscape alterations. Thus, the development’s design remained aligned with the client’s vision and simultaneously created the safest environment for development residents.