Architecture / Journal

The quiet intelligence of a courtyard

A room beneath the sky can change the way a whole house works.

Garden villa

At Cedar Court, the front door opens onto a small garden before it opens onto a room. That brief pause changes the pace of arrival. The courtyard gives the home a center that is open to the sky and enclosed from the street.

Stand at each edge during a viewing. Look for a sheltered place to sit, a route for rainwater and windows that invite a cross breeze. A courtyard earns its space when it works on an ordinary afternoon as well as it does in a photograph.

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