Climate responsive design in urban open spaces in hot arid climates: a systematic literature review

Abstract Cities in hot arid climates are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, especially during summer. Climate responsive design strategies can support spatial designers (i.e., landscape architects and urban designers) in shaping urban open spaces in hot arid climate regions to ameliorate urban heat, reduce thermal discomfort, and to be more resilient to the impacts of climate change. To gather the necessary knowledge to develop suitable design strategies, a systematic literature review on the topic of climate responsive design in hot arid climates was conducted with this study. This review was carried out using the protocol of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review Recommendations (PRISMA). From the 2815 studies screened and assessed for eligibility, only 35 were suitable and were analyzed in depth. Among the design strategies found, urban form has been the most investigated while less attention has been given to shading devices, vegetation, water elements and materials. In hot arid climate cities, however, it is essential to provide shade during noon and afternoon hours, allow heat release at night, and allow proper ventilation during day and night. Many design strategies can be also found in vernacular spatial design, but they have been insufficiently (re)discovered. All these design strategies, also in relation to other aspects of climate action, require further research.