A study of the relationship between urban form and environmental performance for three urban block typologies in Paris

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between urban form and environmental performance by analyzing three representative urban street block typologies proposed for Paris through her urban history. The performances of these typologies in terms of daylight potential, annual insolation, exposure to the sky, and potential to produce urban heat islands were simulated and compared. The implications of the results in 1) the importance of appropriate performance indicators to be used in comparative studies, and 2) the relationship between urban form, density, and environmental performance were discussed.