Climate and Behavior in Cold Cities Case Study: Gothenburg, Sweden (Scandinavia)

In the city of Gothenburg, Sweden, four public spaces of the city, which offer varied patterns and micro-climates, have been studied in order to assess the effect of micro-climates and air conditions on people in the city's public environments. The research methodology is multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary, and includes scholars from three disciplines of architecture, meteorology, and psychology. These projects, which are based on a common case study during the four seasons, include the measurement of atmospheric variables, interviews and observations of human activities in each location. The multivariable regression analysis of atmospheric and behavioral phenomena shows that air temperature, wind speed and sunshine (cloudy) index have a significant effect on people's assessment of the air, their perception of location and their presence on the site. The results of the research confirm the application of climate in planning in future urban design and planning projects, which can be designed like the physical structure of a site, because it affects the microclimate of each specific location and, as a result, the motivations of people's presence at the place, their perception and feelings.