Architecture for Us - Stories - Courtyard Homes (Part 1)
Picture yourself… living in one of the world’s warm, if not hot, dry climates. After a long day at work you arrive home eager to join your family, catch up on their days, and help prepare dinner. Walking through the door you enter a compact entry vestibule and are then drawn into a large open air courtyard that is surrounded on 3 sides by your house and a high wall on the 4th side. Toward one side of the courtyard you notice that the dinner table has already been set. Your young son is sailing a battery operated boat in the small reflecting pool and fountain at the center of the courtyard. Your daughter and two friends are sitting under an orange tree, deeply engaged in conversation: it looks “important.” You see your spouse preparing food in a kitchen area that spills onto the open courtyard. Your spouse smiles and waves, briskly walking over to greet you with a welcoming hug.
Other than your own conversation the only sounds you hear are from the fountain and the soft murmuring of your daughter and her friends. Noises from the surrounding neighborhood are blocked by the enclosing walls. You consider putting some Wes Montgomery on. A gentle breeze filters through the house and across the courtyard, cooled by the fountain. Even without artificial air conditioning the temperature in the courtyard seems much cooler than the air outside the house.
Already the open sky above you is beginning to take on a rich color as evening arrives. The stars will appear soon. After preparing a lovely beverage to share with your spouse, you sit together and enjoy the natural landscaping in the courtyard. The scent of dinner cooking nearby draws your attention as you both stroll across the courtyard toward the kitchen area. Your son calls you to come look at his boat.
Pause now for a moment and take stock of the actual home in which you are arriving. Where is your family? Are you drawn toward anything? How does the air feel? Is it too dry or perhaps a bit stale? Ask yourself, does this home support the basic human enterprise of arrival, dining, and sharing with your family? Is your home life-affirming? Are you excited to be there, perhaps at once energized and relaxed? Or are you eager to immediately head out to a pub or restaurant?
I hope your home is completely life-affirming and not merely a place that you exist. Life is too short for it to be otherwise.
OK kind reader, I hear you saying, “Oh Glenn, this is so soppy. Nobody lives this way.”
Hmmm… Well, that’s not true. People have been living in courtyard homes for thousands of years. In fact, evidence of courtyard homes dates back 6,000 years in the Jordan Valley. Excavations in Egypt reveal remnants at least 5,000 year old. Courtyard homes in Greece, Italy, Japan, and China have been in use for thousands of years. In many places they are still very popular.
It is also true that for many if not most of us, our houses provide so little support that we are eager to escape to pubs, theaters, restaurants and so forth. Deep inside us something yearns for an environment that supports our basic humanity. Lacking that in our house we will look elsewhere.
Most of our houses are little more than a big box stuffed with numerous smaller boxes. “Thanks” to contemporary remodeling programs its now vogue to take our big box, eliminate some of the smaller boxes, and call it an “open plan” (which is of course, just a bigger box). Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong per se with a box. Rather, it is what we do with that box.
And in that we reach the realm of Architecture versus Construction.
Although courtyard houses can be designed for any climate, I want to limit this story to designs for warm/hot, dry climates.
First, what is a courtyard house? An easy way to visualize one is to think of a donut with the center hole cut out. Your house is the donut and the hole is the courtyard. The donut, i.e. your house can be any shape, but for ease we will think of it as being generally square with a square hole in the middle. The house can be single or multi-story. It’s also possible that one side of the donut-house will be closed by a wall rather than inhabitable space, thus making it more of a “U” shape. The built form of the house that surrounds the courtyard can be partially or completely open to the courtyard as appropriate or desired. For example, the main living space of the house can have a glass wall that completely opens onto the courtyard, thus dramatically presenting new options for daily life.
The courtyard house offers improved privacy, security, natural light, ventilation, sound isolation, and tranquility. Unlike a back or side yard, the courtyard becomes available to most if not all of the residence. I’ve seen interior courtyards added to existing residences during remodeling, but in general they will be part of new construction. (Courtyards are also used in some types of businesses. Sadly many that I’ve seen don’t allow users to enter the courtyard space.)
Many courtyard houses are almost like row houses, sharing a common wall. Others are free standing on larger lots, while others have small side yards between nearby residences. (It is not uncommon to have required setbacks from property lines.)
During the design phase early consideration can be given to the house’s orientation. In general it is best to orient the house so the the prevailing summer wind will flow through the house and courtyard. For example, if the prevailing summer breeze comes from the south the house can be situated so that the breeze flows into the courtyard, through the house, and out open windows on the north side. Openings on the east and west interior walls can also draw in air for natural cooling.
Openings on the northern wall can range from floor to ceiling windows to a smaller continuous strip of windows near the ceilings: “clerestory” windows. The windows selected depend on issues of light, privacy, and personal preference. Northern light is always cooling.
So picture it… You, sitting in your quiet courtyard as a cool evening breeze gently moves across you.
But we can do more. Add a small reflecting pool in the courtyard with a fountain that sprays water into the air and you are naturally moistening and cooling the air through an evaporative process. Water for the pool / fountain can be supplied through a cistern (above or below ground) that collects rainwater from the roof. By aerating the water with a fountain/spray the water also stays much fresher.
You can also add landscaping to the courtyard, making it a personal oasis. For example shrubs with berries can be planted to attract birds, flowering plants can attract butterflies, and fruit trees can be planted for natural shading, beauty, scent and, well, fruit.
So now picture the situation…. In the morning as you enjoy your coffee and yogurt before work you feel the cooling breeze of the prevailing wind which has been further cooled by the fountain. As you glance at the morning news you notice the rich aroma of orange blossoms and become mesmerized by the butterflies fluttering about the courtyard. In a space this nice you may not want to leave for work.
And what of the built form surrounding the courtyard? As always, it’s best to situate the bedrooms so the they will receive morning light from the east. In this example imagine that the master bedroom is at the southern end of the U shaped courtyard and that the two bedrooms for your children run along the same axis, forming a bedroom wing. “Walls” from the bedrooms to the courtyard should be as porous as possible. Perhaps they are movable sections of floor to celling glass. Perhaps they are French doors which can be left open. Many things are possible. Depending on your living situation and preferences you might decide to add a shear fabric that will provide some visual privacy while still allowing sound, light, and air to enter the space. Perhaps you will want something like vertical blinds.
And so picture yourself waking in this bedroom. The sun streaming through the east facing openings as a shear fabric gently moves with the breeze. You can see through the fabric, but it’s difficult for others to see in. As you rise you can hear your daughter and her friends stirring in the nearby bedroom. The sounds of water splashing in the fountain are relaxing, contributing to a gentle beginning for your day. The air is cool and clean. Your spouse is already up and through the shear you can see action in the kitchen area across the courtyard. Can you smell the coffee that is brewing? You slip a robe on and stroll across the courtyard toward the kitchen. Looks like the oranges are maturing nicely and the limes are not far behind. You notice a sleeping bag on a patch of turf; looks like your son decided to sleep under the stars last night. The ceiling above you is the bright blue sky. Perhaps a bit of yoga and quiet reflection by the pool?
Sitting with your spouse and enjoying your morning coffee you are reminded that the two of you will be hosting a party this weekend. Although it will be a fairly large group you won’t have worries about crowding. The flow between the interior spaces and courtyard are seamless, accommodating many people. In addition the courtyard offers the possibilities both for intimate conversations and larger groups. You also won’t be worried about bothering the neighbors if the party gets loud. Unlike a traditional backyard, the sound is nicely contained in the courtyard. There will not be problems with echoes as the landscaping creates a natural sound buffer. Perhaps you’ll set up your telescope so friends can see the planets.
Of course the courtyard itself is secure. You can easily leave windows and doors open without fear of someone crawling through an open window. Sure, nothing is foolproof, but there are numerous additional options to improve security as appropriate.
Depending on the specific climate you might find it advantageous to add solar screening above some of your windows. These screens can range from trellis-like structures with plantings woven into them to temporary canvas awnings that can be opened and closed as appropriate. Mosquitos? This may or may not be an issue, but should it be a concern there are plants which tend to work as repellants and of course there are mechanical solutions. If necessary operable screens can be added during the bad seasons. Still, in hot dry climates this is much less of a concern than say, summer in central Finland where the mosquitos tend to be the size of hummingbirds.
(continues Part 2)
Picture yourself… living in one of the world’s warm, if not hot, dry climates. After a long day at work you arrive home eager to join your family, catch up on their days, and help prepare dinner. Walking through the door you enter a compact entry vestibule and are then drawn into a large open air courtyard that is surrounded on 3 sides by your house and a high wall on the 4th side. Toward one side of the courtyard you notice that the dinner table has already been set. Your young son is sailing a battery operated boat in the small reflecting pool and fountain at the center of the courtyard. Your daughter and two friends are sitting under an orange tree, deeply engaged in conversation: it looks “important.” You see your spouse preparing food in a kitchen area that spills onto the open courtyard. Your spouse smiles and waves, briskly walking over to greet you with a welcoming hug.
Other than your own conversation the only sounds you hear are from the fountain and the soft murmuring of your daughter and her friends. Noises from the surrounding neighborhood are blocked by the enclosing walls. You consider putting some Wes Montgomery on. A gentle breeze filters through the house and across the courtyard, cooled by the fountain. Even without artificial air conditioning the temperature in the courtyard seems much cooler than the air outside the house.
Already the open sky above you is beginning to take on a rich color as evening arrives. The stars will appear soon. After preparing a lovely beverage to share with your spouse, you sit together and enjoy the natural landscaping in the courtyard. The scent of dinner cooking nearby draws your attention as you both stroll across the courtyard toward the kitchen area. Your son calls you to come look at his boat.
Pause now for a moment and take stock of the actual home in which you are arriving. Where is your family? Are you drawn toward anything? How does the air feel? Is it too dry or perhaps a bit stale? Ask yourself, does this home support the basic human enterprise of arrival, dining, and sharing with your family? Is your home life-affirming? Are you excited to be there, perhaps at once energized and relaxed? Or are you eager to immediately head out to a pub or restaurant?
I hope your home is completely life-affirming and not merely a place that you exist. Life is too short for it to be otherwise.
OK kind reader, I hear you saying, “Oh Glenn, this is so soppy. Nobody lives this way.”
Hmmm… Well, that’s not true. People have been living in courtyard homes for thousands of years. In fact, evidence of courtyard homes dates back 6,000 years in the Jordan Valley. Excavations in Egypt reveal remnants at least 5,000 year old. Courtyard homes in Greece, Italy, Japan, and China have been in use for thousands of years. In many places they are still very popular.
It is also true that for many if not most of us, our houses provide so little support that we are eager to escape to pubs, theaters, restaurants and so forth. Deep inside us something yearns for an environment that supports our basic humanity. Lacking that in our house we will look elsewhere.
Most of our houses are little more than a big box stuffed with numerous smaller boxes. “Thanks” to contemporary remodeling programs its now vogue to take our big box, eliminate some of the smaller boxes, and call it an “open plan” (which is of course, just a bigger box). Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong per se with a box. Rather, it is what we do with that box.
And in that we reach the realm of Architecture versus Construction.
Although courtyard houses can be designed for any climate, I want to limit this story to designs for warm/hot, dry climates.
First, what is a courtyard house? An easy way to visualize one is to think of a donut with the center hole cut out. Your house is the donut and the hole is the courtyard. The donut, i.e. your house can be any shape, but for ease we will think of it as being generally square with a square hole in the middle. The house can be single or multi-story. It’s also possible that one side of the donut-house will be closed by a wall rather than inhabitable space, thus making it more of a “U” shape. The built form of the house that surrounds the courtyard can be partially or completely open to the courtyard as appropriate or desired. For example, the main living space of the house can have a glass wall that completely opens onto the courtyard, thus dramatically presenting new options for daily life.
The courtyard house offers improved privacy, security, natural light, ventilation, sound isolation, and tranquility. Unlike a back or side yard, the courtyard becomes available to most if not all of the residence. I’ve seen interior courtyards added to existing residences during remodeling, but in general they will be part of new construction. (Courtyards are also used in some types of businesses. Sadly many that I’ve seen don’t allow users to enter the courtyard space.)
Many courtyard houses are almost like row houses, sharing a common wall. Others are free standing on larger lots, while others have small side yards between nearby residences. (It is not uncommon to have required setbacks from property lines.)
During the design phase early consideration can be given to the house’s orientation. In general it is best to orient the house so the the prevailing summer wind will flow through the house and courtyard. For example, if the prevailing summer breeze comes from the south the house can be situated so that the breeze flows into the courtyard, through the house, and out open windows on the north side. Openings on the east and west interior walls can also draw in air for natural cooling.
Openings on the northern wall can range from floor to ceiling windows to a smaller continuous strip of windows near the ceilings: “clerestory” windows. The windows selected depend on issues of light, privacy, and personal preference. Northern light is always cooling.
So picture it… You, sitting in your quiet courtyard as a cool evening breeze gently moves across you.
But we can do more. Add a small reflecting pool in the courtyard with a fountain that sprays water into the air and you are naturally moistening and cooling the air through an evaporative process. Water for the pool / fountain can be supplied through a cistern (above or below ground) that collects rainwater from the roof. By aerating the water with a fountain/spray the water also stays much fresher.
You can also add landscaping to the courtyard, making it a personal oasis. For example shrubs with berries can be planted to attract birds, flowering plants can attract butterflies, and fruit trees can be planted for natural shading, beauty, scent and, well, fruit.
So now picture the situation…. In the morning as you enjoy your coffee and yogurt before work you feel the cooling breeze of the prevailing wind which has been further cooled by the fountain. As you glance at the morning news you notice the rich aroma of orange blossoms and become mesmerized by the butterflies fluttering about the courtyard. In a space this nice you may not want to leave for work.
And what of the built form surrounding the courtyard? As always, it’s best to situate the bedrooms so the they will receive morning light from the east. In this example imagine that the master bedroom is at the southern end of the U shaped courtyard and that the two bedrooms for your children run along the same axis, forming a bedroom wing. “Walls” from the bedrooms to the courtyard should be as porous as possible. Perhaps they are movable sections of floor to celling glass. Perhaps they are French doors which can be left open. Many things are possible. Depending on your living situation and preferences you might decide to add a shear fabric that will provide some visual privacy while still allowing sound, light, and air to enter the space. Perhaps you will want something like vertical blinds.
And so picture yourself waking in this bedroom. The sun streaming through the east facing openings as a shear fabric gently moves with the breeze. You can see through the fabric, but it’s difficult for others to see in. As you rise you can hear your daughter and her friends stirring in the nearby bedroom. The sounds of water splashing in the fountain are relaxing, contributing to a gentle beginning for your day. The air is cool and clean. Your spouse is already up and through the shear you can see action in the kitchen area across the courtyard. Can you smell the coffee that is brewing? You slip a robe on and stroll across the courtyard toward the kitchen. Looks like the oranges are maturing nicely and the limes are not far behind. You notice a sleeping bag on a patch of turf; looks like your son decided to sleep under the stars last night. The ceiling above you is the bright blue sky. Perhaps a bit of yoga and quiet reflection by the pool?
Sitting with your spouse and enjoying your morning coffee you are reminded that the two of you will be hosting a party this weekend. Although it will be a fairly large group you won’t have worries about crowding. The flow between the interior spaces and courtyard are seamless, accommodating many people. In addition the courtyard offers the possibilities both for intimate conversations and larger groups. You also won’t be worried about bothering the neighbors if the party gets loud. Unlike a traditional backyard, the sound is nicely contained in the courtyard. There will not be problems with echoes as the landscaping creates a natural sound buffer. Perhaps you’ll set up your telescope so friends can see the planets.
Of course the courtyard itself is secure. You can easily leave windows and doors open without fear of someone crawling through an open window. Sure, nothing is foolproof, but there are numerous additional options to improve security as appropriate.
Depending on the specific climate you might find it advantageous to add solar screening above some of your windows. These screens can range from trellis-like structures with plantings woven into them to temporary canvas awnings that can be opened and closed as appropriate. Mosquitos? This may or may not be an issue, but should it be a concern there are plants which tend to work as repellants and of course there are mechanical solutions. If necessary operable screens can be added during the bad seasons. Still, in hot dry climates this is much less of a concern than say, summer in central Finland where the mosquitos tend to be the size of hummingbirds.
(continues Part 2)