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By John Reynolds
Courtyards are special areas that allow the inside and outside to mingle; where rain, wind, daylight, darkness and sound can be showcased. Simply, they are niches of beauty and solace. Since at least 3000 B.C., courtyards have been incorporated into the architecture of the day as a significant part of the physical and cultural landscape. Today, the courtyard continues to be an evolving and popular aspect of design through which landscapers and designers can create privacy amidst increased property development.
Most people have seen the beauty of a courtyard or have experienced its social benefits, but very few studies have shown how successful courtyards are at cooling. Reynolds career-long interest in energy use, especially solar energy, is on display in the chapter on climate and comfort. Here and throughout the book, he addresses energy issues in both quality and quantity.
Courtyards presents a survey of courtyards, contemporary design guidelines and a diverse selection of examples. You will acquire a basic understanding of the balance that must exist between garden and building, including practical advice for planting.
Part One presents the characteristics of courtyards, including classifications, plants, orientation, exposure, materials and changes over time. Part Two offers a tour of some particular courtyards in Spain and Mexico, including details on thermal performance and responses to the urban environment. This section is generously supplemented with 50 color photographs. Part Three presents design guidelines, including day-night temperature ranges, zoning regulations, proportions and innovative proposals incorporating driveways and uses of rainwater.
John Reynolds is a professor emeritus of architecture at the University of Oregon. He has been actively involved in the American Solar Energy Society for many years and served as its president.
242 pages, 2002, Hardcover
Table of Contents
Part One: Courtyard Characteristics
1: Classifying Courtyards
Entry Sequence
Placement Within Building
Orientation
Formality and Symmetry
Exposure
Plants
Open or Closed Facades
Vertical Circulation
2: Courtyards and Cosmos
Earth, Water, Air, and Fire
Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral
Below, On, and Above the Ground
Cycles of Life and Death
3: Social Roles
Community and Privacy
Circulation
Degrees of Formality
Common Activities In and Around Courtyards
Institutional Courtyards
4: Plants, the Spirit of the Courtyard
Organic vs. Geometric
Sensuality
Ritual/Habitual
Potted Plants
Rooted Shrubs and Vines
Trees
5: Courtyards, Climate, and Comfort
Degrees of Control
Taming the Climate
Strategies for Winter Warmth
Avoiding Heat Gain
More Strategies for Summer Comfort
Wind
Thermal Mass
Evaporative Cooling
6: Courtyards and Change
Fill in One or More Arcades
Divide the Courtyard
Encroach on the Courtyard
Add Another Floor
Change the Function
Part Two: Some Particular Courtyards
7: Courtyards Observed: Mexico and Andalucia
Daylight
Sun and Shade
Winter Sun
Function
8: Variations in Proportions
Three Andalusian Courtyards
In Cordoba's Winter
Two Colima Courtyards
Colima in Summer
9: Variations in Shading
Encanacion #12
Osio #4, Front and Rear
Comparing the Three Courtyards
Spaces Around These Courtyards
Winter and Summer Contrasts
10: Thermal Sailing
Shading
Water
Night Ventilation of Thermal Mass
11: Changes Over Time
Demolished or Disappeared
Covered
Partially Covered
Open but Stripped
Neglected
Sustained
Improved
Part Three: Courtyard Design
12: Planning and Design Guidelines
City and Courtyard
Cars and Courtyards
Courtyards and Neighborhoods
Courtyards and their Buildings
Courtyards, Daylight, and Aspect Ratio
Courtyards and Cooling
Courtyards and Winter Sun
Courtyards and Arcades
13: Design Examples
Hot and Arid
Hot and Humid
A City Block of Courtyard Row Houses
Appendix A: Evaporation and Transpiration
Appendix B: Rainwater Collection
Appendix C: Some Courtyard Plants
Glossary
References
Credits
Index
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