Courtyard

The Courtyard House

By: Chris Pacanowski

Throughout all of history shelters have been a necessity, they are used as places to gather, places to live, and places to take shelter against the elements. Homes are a type of shelter which provides security, and a place to “live”. Homes have taken different forms throughout history, from mud brick houses or cave all of the way to modern homes seen today, but the thing that homes try to strive for is efficiency. Homes have always tried to be designed so that they utilize the most energy from the earth. One type of home that has survived the ages is the courtyard house. This type of home is designed in a way that there is a space in the center of a home which is open to the environment. Below is an image of a floor plan in which a courtyard is utilized in.

http://dirkruppik.girlshopes.com/courtyardhouseplan/

Courtyard homes have been seen all of the way through history and still today. The center of the building becomes an open space for its residence to gather and enjoy the environment while still being in a private area at the same time. This type of planning is still being used today in urban fabrics, not only does it create a private area but it also helps for natural ventilation and cooling. In urban environments privacy is such a key aspect of life so utilizing some type of courtyard plan in a building’s design can create a building that all people would want to live in.