CONTENTS Certificate i Undertaking ii Acknowledgments iii Abstract iv Undertaking . i Acknowledgments iv Executive Summary v 1 Chapter 1: Overview 11 1.1 Introduction 11 1.2 Need for the Study 11 1.3 Background 13 1.3.1 Open Public Spaces and User Behaviour 13 1.3.2 Comfort 16 1.3.3 Microclimate and Site Surroundings 22 2 Chapter 2: Rationale for the Study 25 2.1 Aim 25 2.2 Objectives 25 2.3 Methodology 25 2.3.1 Data collection 25 2.3.2 Analysis 26 2.4 Scope and Limitations 27 3 Chapter 3: Comparative Analysis of Sabarmati Riverfront and Kankaria Lake 28 3.1 Site Selection 28 3.2 Site Overview . 29 3.2.1 Site in Sabarmati Riverfront 29 3.2.2 Site in Kankaria Lake 32 3.3 Site Research . 34 3.4 Evaluation of Thermal Comfort 35 3.5 Physical Characteristics: Role of Site Surroundings 42 3.5.1 Comparison of Physical Features 42 3.5.2 Comparison of Occupancy Patterns as per Availability of Shade 45 3.5.3 Impact of difference in Site Surroundings on Thermal Comfort: Comparison 49 3.6 Comparison of User Behaviour in the two sites 49 3.6.1 Number of people 50 3.6.2 Diversity in the User Group 50 Duration of Use 51 3.6.3 Frequency of Use 52 3.6.4 Activity Levels 52 3.7 Conclusion . 54 Appendix 1: Survey Form . 56 4 Bibliography . 58 References