10 Homes With Large, Well-Ventilated Courtyards

Open and airy courtyards can create a sense of interconnectedness between indoors and outdoors.

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Such commodious spaces can also help improve air circulation, encourage movement of cool breezes, and bring more natural light into a home. This makes it an energy-efficient design solution, particularly in warmer climates. Take a look at 10 outstanding examples we found.   

A Spot Near the Oaks in Palo Alto

On a north-sloping site in Palo Alto, California, three distinct volumes are jointed in this residence to create an internally-focused private courtyard that sits adjacent to a mature stand of live oak trees.

Courtesy of Ed Caldwell

A Fruit Orchard Becomes an Architect’s Courtyard Home

Built around a 100-year-old pear tree, the modern courtyard home of architect Jake Edgley takes full advantage of its surroundings, from the vertical wood boards to the way it fillsCourtesy of Jack Hobhouse the home with natural light throughout the day.   

Courtesy of Jack Hobhouse

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Courtyard Garden With Perforated Screens

To create privacy, Kevin Daly Architects created a two-story glazed facade facing a landscaped courtyard, and shaded it with a perforated, folding metal skin that’s supported by an aluminum exoskeleton.

Courtesy of Benny Chan/Fotoworks

A Tasmanian House That Looks Out and In

The architect of this contemporary residence in Port Arthur, Tasmania, incorporated a central courtyard as an unusual but intelligent design response to the region's temperate climate.

Courtesy of Ben Hosking

Water, Water, Everywhere

This house in Singapore was designed to be used without air-conditioning. When designing the space, the architect considered a number of factors, including increased ventilation, coolness, and protection from the strong heat and torrential rains.

Courtesy of Patrick Bingham Hall

Sunshine, Fresh Air, and Family

The courtyard in this Toronto home is where the family can catch some sun during the warm summer months, while still maintaining their privacy.

Courtesy of Juliana Sohn

Multiple Courtyards Brighten This East London House

Designed by Dallas-Pierce-Quintero, this two-bedroom house within the walls of an infill site in East London relies on a series of courtyards as its main source of sunlight.

Courtesy of David Butler

Cool Waters Within Red Steel

Six earth-colored, metal-clad pavilions were combined to create Tin House, an innovative and voluminous house that boasts a secluded rectangular pool in a bright interior courtyard.

Courtesy of Timothy Soar

Baan Yo Yen House in Thailand

Inspired by the communal terrace courtyards of traditional multi-generational Thai homes, Thai architectural practice TA-CHA Design positioned a courtyard with a large tree in the center of the house to encourage circulation and increase interaction between household members. 

Courtesy of BeerSingnoi

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