The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) generated represents wind flow over rough terrain, in accordance with VDI guidelines. It is simulated using vortex generators and arrays of roughness elements within the facility. The vortex generators comprise three spires modeled based on the design suggested by Irwin, featuring a base width of 0.5 m, a top width of 0.04 m, and an added base extension. The roughness elements comprise a combination of 0.06 × 0.06 m² and 0.04 × 0.04 m² sized ‘L-shaped’ metal components on a fetch of 12 m.

This experiment was conducted to confirm the independency of the measured velocity field on the Reynolds number. Measurements were performed at three different approach-flow wind speeds for a wind direction of 0° (wind from the north). The target building of interest was BOI1. Reynolds numbers were calculated based on the reference height of the target building (150 m at full scale). The resulting Reynolds numbers were 9.14 × 10⁷, 1.05 × 10⁸ and 1.20 × 10⁸, corresponding to approach wind speeds of 9 m/s, 10.3 m/s, and 11.8 m/s, respectively. An ultrasonic anemometer was located in the free stream to measure the approaching wind velocity to determine the reference velocity at the test section at heights of 60 m, 120 m and 150 m, using pre determined calibration factors. The data set provided uses the reference velocity at 120 m height for determining the velocity ratio time series.

To understand how the selection of wind directions affects the pedestrian comfort assessment, tests were carried out for a wide range of incoming wind angles. For the general assessment, the full 360° range was tested at 30° intervals. Because the prevailing wind direction is mainly between 170° and 280°, this sector was examined in more detail using 10° increments. To check whether the standard 10° to 30° spacing is sufficient, an additional set of tests was performed for the baseline configuration (BOI1 without mitigation). In this case, wind direction was varied at 5° intervals, resulting in 72 wind directions. This finer resolution helps to identify any variations that may not be captured using larger angular steps.

To examine how variations in architectural massing influence wind flow and pedestrian comfort, three different BOI configurations were tested. BOI1 represents a concave, sharp‑edged form that serves as the reference configuration. BOI2 features a curved, wedge‑shaped geometry with smooth, rounded edges, allowing comparison between sharp and streamlined forms. BOI3 uses the same concave, sharp‑edged layout as BOI1 but incorporates vertical fins to assess how simple aerodynamic additions can modify the local wind environment. By comparing these three massing setups, the experiment aims to understand how changes in building form affect wind patterns at pedestrian level.

To assess how mitigation measures can reduce adverse wind effects around the building, three mitigation scenarios were tested for the BOI1 configuration. These scenarios represent commonly used wind‑mitigation strategies (i) vertical porous screens, (ii) a canopy placed at the base of the BOI, and (iii) soft landscaping elements - trees.

To examine how the density of Irwin probe placement influences the pedestrian comfort assessment, two probe layouts were tested for the BOI1 configuration without mitigation elements. The normal layout consisted of 128 probes, representing the standard measurement resolution. An additional 24 probes were added to create a dense layout with a total of 152 probes, allowing for a more detailed mapping of local wind conditions.