10 Stunning Structures With Gorgeous Inner Courtyards
Getting closer to nature has become a goal and a dream which is sometimes really hard to achieve. The location plays a crucial role but the most important element is always the architecture. A residence can enjoy a close connection to nature even if there’s no vegetation around it, even if the views are not amazing. That can done through an inner courtyard or an interior garden. Of course, this also applying to other types of structures as well.
The Courtyard House by Takeru Shoji Architects
The Courtyard House designed by Takeru Shoji Architects is a perfect example. The house is located in Niigata, Japan and has a simple and modern design. It sits on the corner of a peach garden. The fact that the house is surrounded by trees and vegetation is definitely a big plus but the feature that interests us the most is the interior garden.
This feature connects the major spaces inside the house. It’s a sort of zen are which has its own skylight and adds a fresh touch to the entire interior décor. Since the windows aren’t particularly large or numerous, it helps to integrate a piece of nature inside the house.
The Kurve 7 mall by Stu/D/O Architects
When nature gives you tall, beautiful trees you basically have two options. You either get rid of them or you build around them. The second option sounds a lot more interesting and eco-friendly. The Kurve 7 community mall located in Bangkok, Thailand, sits on a site infused with trees. The structure was built in 2014 by Stu/D/O Architects.
As you can see, this is no ordinary mall. It attempts to link all the functions together through a series of open gardens and courtyards. Trees pierce through roofs and fill every open corner and space. The mall has a continuous curved roof and the ground structure is built using lots and lots of wood planks. The ambiance overall is very inviting, relaxing and fresh thanks to this interesting combination.
The House on Pali by Studio Mumbai
Located in Mumbai, India, this residence was a project by Studio Mumbai and features a design and an architecture that expose the house to the beautiful nature surrounding it despite being enclosed in an urban environment. The site was originally occupied by an old house which was stripped down to its bare concrete frame. This exposed it to the surrounding trees and offered the architects an opportunity to think outside the box.
The team built an additional floor as well as a terrace. These volumes are enclosed in layers of glass and wooden screens and they’ll all connected by a series of transitional spaces designed to ensure a smooth and seamless connection to nature. An interior garden with a small pond sits at the center, linking one floor to the terrace above it.
The Gedda House by Mustafa Bucar Arquitetura
Divided in three sections, this house knows exactly how to link the indoor and outdoor spaces for a beautiful balance. The service area, social space and private zone are all well-defined. The social space is formed of a living room, TV area, dining space and a courtyard. Large sliding glass doors connect the interior spaces to the courtyard and the zones become linked in a natural way.
All the house’s three bedrooms feature large windows and doors that connect them to interior garden spaces. This allows the rooms to stay private while also being open to the outdoors and the beauty offered by the surroundings. This type of intimacy and great balance isn’t easily achieved yet the team at Mustafa Bucar Arquitetura did a great job at it.
The Adzuki House by Horibe Naoko Architect Office
This is a residence built on a 83 square meter plot in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. It’s a tall and narrow structure that rises three levels high. It was designed by Horibe Naoko Architect Office and three of its facades are facing the street. As a result, the building has to be compact and tall.
In addition, the architects also wanted to include a bit of natural beauty into the whole design. The result is a house with windows facing a courtyard in every room. This is a feature which adds depth to the house and allows it to stay connected to nature despite its location and proximity to the roads.
The La Planicie House II by Oscar Gonzalez Moix
The main request for this residence was a design that includes as much green features as possible. Oscar Gonzales Moix, the team in charge of the project, decided to make an inner courtyard the defining feature of the design. The courtyard serves as the core of the residence and is the element that connects all the programs inside the house.
The residence is organized in several volumes. One starts at the entrance and contains the garden and garage. The second volume contains the entry, the living and dining areas as well as the courtyard linked to the kitchen and social areas. There’s also a third section containing the back yard which has a pool and a sauna.
The Greenbank Park house by HYLA Architects
In the case of the Greenbank Park house, an inner courtyard occupies two levels at the center of the whole structure. The project was designed by HYLA Architects and is located in Singapore. The first level of the courtyard features a tree in the center of a pond. It’s framed by a timber box and the living and dining areas wrap around this space.
The second level of the courtyard is placed above the dining space, in front of the master bedroom. A full height glass facade allows the interior spaces to become directly connected to the space. The role of the courtyard is to offer privacy and to serve as a buffer against the noise from the street while also letting in light.
La Isla House by Llosa Cortegana Architects
The residence is situated in Lima, Peru, on a 270 square meter site. It was completed in 2011 by Llosa Cortegana Architects and looks a lot like a beach house, although the location tells a different story. The architects achieved this combination through an interesting design. The most noticeable feature is a patio that was inserted into the house.
The patio connects the social areas and allows the interior spaces to be constantly connected to the green landscape without actually being surrounded by it. The overall design is very fluid, with spaces that flow into each other and invite the views in. the interior patio is a beautiful extension of the living space while also providing a fresh view for the rest of the rooms.
The House in Masaki by Hayato Komatsu Architects
This is a house made up of two separate volumes. The two parts are connected by a garden. This design was envisioned by the architects at Hayato Komatsu. The residence is a two-storey structure located in the countryside. It has a minimalist, rectangular body. The glass-enclosed garden sits at the center and has a terrace at one end.
The pebble-covered garden serves as a transition area between the social areas. A spiral staircase offers access to the private zone containing the bedrooms. This way all the levels and rooms of the house can connect to the garden which, in turn, allows them to feel very fresh, welcoming and relaxing.
Le Mon House by Fabian Tan
Le Mon House is the result of a renovation project by Fabian Tan. The house is situated in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The renovation of the existing structured turned into a complete update which involved several major changes and challenges. One of them was the integration of a central courtyard.
The courtyard connects all the spaces and lets natural light enter the rooms. Although small, it plays an important role in the overall ambiance and design. In addition to this courtyard, the house also features a roof garden situated above the living room. From up here, one can enjoy views of the surrounding forests and hills.