In the context of today’s global climate change and dramatic urban transformation, urban researchers, planners, architects, and policy-makers have recognized the value of following a mixed-use and open-oriented mode of urban development. In China, the prevailing option for urban renewal is the Urban Complex pattern, which features a mixed functional composition. However, due to its attributes of overall low urban walkability and high energy consumption, such super urban massing may not inspire an environmentally-friendly consequence or a healthy urban lifestyle among residents. This study adds an environmental dimension to the current debates on “sustainable urban form” and “inclusive and resilient neighborhood typology.” Based on an in-depth survey of the social and morphological characteristics of three representative mixed-use open urban neighborhoods (MOUN) in Shenzhen, this paper examines local-scale urban climate and canyon ventilation capacity performances of the following via on-site measurement: typical urban village (MOUN-Type I), mature open urban neighborhood (MOUN-Type II), and newly-built urban complex (MOUN-Type III). The results reveal that each MOUN type presents its merits and specific environmental problems, and their co-existence within cities can balance deficiencies in an inter-supplementary manner. The paper argues that urban (re)development should follow a multi-path and multi-consequence orientation, in which cities require the co-existence and collaboration of diverse neighborhood types to ensure a more efficient urban operation that strengthens urban adaptability. Even just from an environmental perspective, planners and policy-makers should carefully consider the specificity, continuity, and identity of each urban area situated within cities. Findings of this research provide insights into attaining “human-environment balance” in the process of establishing various planning models for urban sustainability.