Regenerating traditional Omani souqs: Climate-responsive biophilic design and thermal performance simulation

Abstract

Climate change and urban heat island effects, as well as the loss of vernacular passive cooling features, are causing accelerated thermal degradation in the traditional souqs of the Arabian Peninsula. One such example is the Nizwa Souq, a heritage marketplace, nationally designated, located near the UNESCO-recognized Nizwa Fort, Oman, operating under extreme Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) conditions typical of hot desert (BWh Köppen-Geiger) climates. This study investigates the thermal comfort enhancement achievable through biophilic design interventions, namely native shade trees, water features inspired by falaj, and high albedo ground surfaces, which can enhance thermal comfort through multi-parameter microclimate simulation, utilizing the Infrared.city platform and weather data from TMYx 2009–2023 (OMNDANizwa. 412550_TMYx). Two scenarios were compared: Scenario A (Existing Baseline) and Scenario B (Biophilic Intervention). Seven different types of complementary simulations were used: UTCI, Thermal Comfort Statistics, Direct Sun Hours, Sky View Factor, Solar Radiation, Wind Speed, and Lawson Pedestrian Wind Comfort Criteria. Findings demonstrate a substantial improvement in outdoor livability during peak summer conditions (July, 10:00–14:00), alongside significant improvements in solar interception, sky visibility reduction, and thermal distribution uniformity, collectively indicating that biophilic interventions can meaningfully shift the thermal profile of heritage desert open spaces. A seasonal trade-off was found: tree canopies provide critical summer shading, slightly decrease solar warming during the winter, highlighting the need to choose seasonally adaptive, climate-native species. The study provides evidence-based design guidelines for climate-sensitive heritage regeneration in the Arabian Peninsula and contributes a replicable methodology for practitioners working within conservation-constrained settings.