Designing with Wind
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Wind is an elusive, constantly changing force. Its character is captured in the above wind map, a striking visualization of wind data that helps us view wind patterns over time and location. More than an engaging image, these patterns are another way of indexing ecological conditions, as the scientist P.S. Nobel reminds us, “Wind affects plant growth, reproduction, distribution, death and ultimately plant evolution.”
In the context of climate change, wind data points to the potential of a global “stilling” of wind patterns as well as recorded increases in wind speeds in other instances. What we do know is that wind is directly related to heat: as air molecules heat up and rise, cooler air rushes into the space that results from expansion. The greater the pressure difference, the stronger the wind. A glance at the map of Hurricane Sandy is a reminder that with rising global temperatures and unprecedented localized heat indexes, wind patterns need our attention.
As designers, we often think about wind in terms of mitigation, an element to be screened or diverted. But there are more possibilities for working with wind’s ecological function. The movement of air is part of ecological processes that give way to soil development, micro-climate conditions, seed dispersal, as well as bird and butterfly migrations. Whether gale forces or sudden doldrums, dramatic changes in wind patterns are an important part of design with natural systems. These natural occurrences can be processes that we intentionally seek to support for wind’s ecological function.
The growing development of offshore wind infrastructure brings more attention to wind and the importance of dependable wind patterns. The iconic image of the wind turbine captivates the imagination as the image of clean energy and wind’s ability to support energy demands. In this growing industry, landscape architects have the opportunity to design with wind as an ecological powerhouse in shaping the environment.
We urge all designers to get curious about wind, supporting its function ecologically and as a powerful source of clean energy!
Written by Lori Ball Horton