The service quarters in this house, as well as in others Iv’e seen, are treated almost as prisons cells, not even that, prison cells have openings. It’s not a lack of space, it seems more like the service/maids/drivers, etc aren’t human beings and are not included in the design process.

That room doesn’t have a window or opening, and if it does, it’s on the laundry closet. Heck!, even the laundry closet has natural light and air!

the light filtering/capturing is beautiful to go along with the warm materials.

-a bit too much for this statement, even chinese, japanese, european, america, balinese, siamese courtyards are using the same solution.

*’As long as there are temperature differences between courtyards, the living, dining, and pool house become conduits for breezes that move in between the courtyards,
very much like how land and sea breezes are generated’*

-climate in tropic countries are hot and wet!cloudy day with overcast sky has no problem. during hot day, water vaporizes and make the air wet, this is uncomfortable for hot climate country. 水能载舟，亦能覆舟(as the saying goes, can overturn it).water can make people feel comfortable but at the same time can make people feel uncomfortable.

*’…simply achieved by classical use of symmetry, with important areas axial to the center line of the house…’ VS ‘…it is the experiential serenity that unencumbered space, a gentle breeze, dappled sunlight and the hush of water rippling on a pond that is priceless in our dense and busy urbanscape…’*

-i like the gentle breeze,dappled sunight and hush of water rippling on the pond/pool (hopefully), but classical use of symmetry sound too serious for palace or monumental building…and all glazed at the ground floor looked like office!

furthermore:
What is wrong with boring? Bad design in the name of “interesting architecture” is deadly to our art. Deadly.

Palm Springs CA or Palm Springs FL?

Because I am pretty sure Palm Springs in Florida has all of those issues you mentioned.