Brazilian Houses: 14 Courtyard Residences

Read the original version in Portuguese here.

Published on February 11, 2019

There are various ways to position a residence on a lot. It can be built along the side boundaries, set back from the rear or one of the sides, aligned with the street, or freestanding on the plot. Each strategy presents its own advantages and drawbacks. On smaller plots, introducing courtyards is an effective way to site a house, particularly for maximizing natural light and ventilation.

Common in Arabic architecture—and, consequently, in that of the Iberian Peninsula, which was occupied by the Moors between the 8th and 15th centuries—courtyards ensure healthy domestic environments and, beyond purely functional aspects, offer a sense of privacy and retreat. In Brazilian architecture, specifically in Paulista architecture, they began to appear in works from the 1950s. By the following decade, they took on political significance; while Artigas championed the idea of designing "cities like houses, and houses like cities," courtyards provided residents at the time with "a space that invites dreaming" [1].

In contemporary Brazilian architecture, courtyards remain a recurring feature, as demonstrated in this selection of 14 homes designed with central or side courtyards.