Courtyard Living

An open square of sky at the centre of a home can do a surprising amount of work: it brings in light and shade, moves air through rooms, keeps the street at a distance and gives a household somewhere to gather. Charmaine Chan looks at twenty-five contemporary houses across the Asia-Pacific, from Australia, Taiwan and Singapore to India, Vietnam and Sri Lanka, where architects are reworking this ancient idea for modern lives.

Rather than moving country by country, the book is arranged by what the courtyard does, with chapters on privacy, multigenerational living, sightlines, light and ventilation, and living with nature. Generous photography sits alongside architectural drawings that show where each courtyard falls within the floor plan. It suits architects, students and anyone dreaming of a home that opens gently to the outdoors.