A wind map for central Wellington

Abstract

The original concept of creating a wind map for central Wellington arose from a desire to exploit a substantial existing file of information in the form of wind tunnel environmental tests on new buildings in Wellington city. Both Mr Donn and Dr G. Baird of the School of Architecture Wellington, had collected this material as an archive of their activities as consultants to the Wellington City Council on matters concerning wind. Connecting these individual tests was seen to be able to produce an overall picture of wind patterns in central Wellington. The proposition was the equivalent of testing a complete model of the central city in a wind tunnel situation - a concept which is physically impossible in a small wind tunnel because of the size of the city model involved. A model of the central city to a size able to be accommodated in a small wind tunnel would not give the architectural detail required for accurate tests.