Design 1 min read
Courtyards reconsidered: an old idea for the modern Gulf home
The traditional courtyard house solved privacy, light and heat in one move. With modern tools, it can do even more.
For centuries, homes across the Gulf turned inward around an open court. The street façade stayed modest and private, while family life unfolded around a shaded, protected space open to the sky.
Why it works
A courtyard of the right proportions stays in shade for much of the day. Cool night air settles in it, and surrounding rooms draw light and air from it without exposing themselves to the street.
What modern tools add
Today we can test those proportions precisely. On the Nakheel villa, wind and solar simulations helped us size the courtyard so it stays three to four degrees cooler than the street. A slim pool adds evaporative cooling, and cantilevered upper rooms shade the glazing below.
A way of living
The most important result is not measured in degrees. It is that the family uses the courtyard: children play there after school, and dinners move outside for more than half the year.
