Diriyah Square is a high-end development site located on the west outskirts of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and dedicated primarily to tourist activities.
SoftSim Consult was involved in multiple phases of the development to support the design teams in improving the outdoor thermal comfort and occupants’ perception of the site. Outdoor thermal comfort conditions are extremely important for successful tourist ventures, especially for sites in the Riyadh climate zone, which is dominated by extremely hot weather
conditions, where an adverse thermal impact on outdoor activities is expected. A detailed CFD analysis of the outdoor recreational and trade zones within this tourist district of Riyadh was completed at the concept design stage. The study has provided valuable information on the baseline conditions and what could be the beneficial impact of different passive and active cooling measures, including:

• Wind Barriers
• Shading Structures
• Thermal Properties of Materials
• Water Features
• Radiant Cooling
• Water Misting Systems
• External Mechanical Air Cooling

Through the UTCI thermal comfort index comparison, the most effective measures were outlined and selected for the detailed design of the development.