ABSTRACT
The phenomenon of city-induced environmental change has been known for many centuries. The ancient Indian architectural manual “Silpa Sastra” (translated by Acharya, 1979) laid out rules for the siting of villages, towns and forts based on prevailing wind directions and solar orientation. Building and street layout, and massing, were prescribed so as to enhance street-level shade, air-pollution dispersal and storm-water drainage. Vitruvius’ (75–25 BC) Book I of The Ten Books on Architecture (trans. Morgan, 1960) also considered city layout in relation to local environmental conditions.
