Houses with courtyard

I report about houses with courtyard.


 1st presenter is Miyuki Uemura.


 First, she describe about good and bad points that influence of having a courtyard. She thinks there are 3 good points. One, having a courtyard make the house pass a lot of wind. Two, it bring light to room. Three, this is difference among each people, she thinks people enjoy green view and feel 4 seasons familiarly in part of their daily life. Furthermore, she thinks there are two bad points. One, it has low earthquake residence structurally. Two, there is possibility that there are many insects in courtyard. But, for some people, it maybe attractive.


 2nd presenter is Rana Furusho.


 She introduced a house with a courtyard. It's Sumiyoshi no Nagaya. This is built in 1976, designed by Tadao Ando. He is famous architect in Japan.  One out of three of this house is composed by courtyard. This courtyard has no roof, so people living in here have to use an umbrella when they go through here in rainy day. Besides, side walls made by concrete have no windows. Therefore, there are many opposite opinions, but this is also one of the architectures that made him be famous.

 3rd presenter is Chiaki Tsuruta.


 She introduced one-storied house in Tokyo. One-storied house is most simple type regarding structure, and used various architecture long ago. Compared with over two-storied, it doesn't have to make facility for moving vertically, and traffic line is composed by horizontal directions, so floor planning is easy. Regarding advanced using of space, middle and high rise buildings are favorable, but in a storied house, we can tend to have an eye for wide range and easy for moving. This is why it's proper for infant facility or houses for old people.

4th presenter is me.


 I’ll introduce about Chinese traditional house that have courtyard, Sigouin.This is typical of vernacular architecture that was grown up by Chinese long long history.
 First, I’ll tell you about constitution of it.Sigouin is Chinese traditional house that 4 buildings are around courtyard named Intsu, and it is one of representatives in the world. In Pekin, they call Seibou that main building in North side of courtyard, they call Shoubo that built facing each other in the direction of east to west across from courtyard, and they call Touza in South side of courtyard. These all buildings are facing to courtyard and closing to other 3 aspects, and also, each aspects of courtyard has passage that no walls connect to each buildings. In this way, courtyard and 4 buildings are united and make symmetric and exclusive unit. This is a basic unit of Sigouin. Remarkable property of this house is to compose the whole repeating this unit freely.Specially, they often extend in direction of South to North using some of basic unit. They count this unit by Shin.  In some big houses, there are 7 or 8 Shin. 

 In Pekin, basically, there are building site in a line from small path called Kodou that extend from east to west. At Kodou, there are long and high walls that protect houses, and large gate called Daimon of each houses are built higher.  Most of these large gates are put on east-south side of each sites because regarding Fhunshui and to prevent looking over their life by strangers and neighbors.Go through under the large gate, there are walls called Eiheki to prevent stepping forward, and turn left, there is middle gate called Suikamon. At out of middle scale houses, they divide courtyard using gate in direction of south and north, and they use south side as their private space, and north one as their public space. They call south side Naiin, and north side Gaiin. 
 Generally, there are just gates and no windows that are opened to road. If there are windows, it’s small and put on high position. The people who live in Sigouin don’t communicate with neighbor well, they live in only their house, and don’t have trouble with neighbor. Sigouin have been in big history, and it has been asked by people as home that make them relax and safe. Next, I’ll describe about construction of Chinese architecture.
 The basic unit in Sigouin is common in China, for example, house, castle, palace, temple, grave, library and so on. In China, there is one story. It is that emperor is backed by Polar star that God is sitting, and orders to vassal.  Regarding any kinds of architecture, the leader of family is in south side, and others are in except south side. This way has became stereotype with Confucianism and kept long time. As you know, Confucianism is the system of ethics, education, and statesmanship taught by Confucius and his disciples, stressing love for humanity, ancestor worship, reverence for parents and harmony in thought and conduct. 
 Last, I’ll describe what I think about this house.I think it’s good for me dividing private and public space clearly. This is absolutely against modern thinking that try to play back communication, but I’d like to relax in my house without minding neighbors. Besides, I think I don’t feel being too cramped thanks to courtyard, and it’s rational to bring light using courtyard.




 5th presenter is Rie  Kato.


 She introduced warwick castle in England. This is a castle built in 1068, and is by river. This had used  as military facility until 17th century. The original wooden motte-and bailey castle was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century. During the Hundred Years War the facade opposite the town was refortified, it became being typical military architecture in 14th century. In 17th century, garden was made in this area. Now, this castle is famous sightseeing spot since The Tussauds Group bought this in 1978.

 6th presenter, Kota Motoi.


 He introduced a house with courtyard named SHRIMP. This house divides 3 volume, so each one has different angle and size. Therefore, this house looks like shrimp shell, this is why it's called SHRIMP.  There are some skip floors that have different height around a courtyard as core. Also, interior is made of concrete and woods. Besides, there are louvers like roof in courtyard, so this system gets natural light to courtyard. People in this house can feel nature from indoor.

 7th presenter is Yuki Tanoue.


 He introduced a house with courtyard and water feature in Osaka. This house is designed by Japanese architect, Yoshinobu Mizutani, built in 2006. This is shaped Japanese letter "コ", center is courtyard. Furthermore, this courtyard has water feature for stacking to use rain. Entrance is facing courtyard, and there is roof balcony on Japanese style room separated from the main. Using partition glasses to divide courtyard, living and dining made this space open and unify. There are sliding doors made of woods to shut from outside, people living here can change quality of space. This is more, not only closing but opening flexible, and friendly to environment.

 8th presenter is Kotaro Iwamoto.


 He introduced Shiroyama elementary school he graduated in Kumamoto city.  It's difficult for me to judge if this is important information in this topic, according to him, the number of 1st grader is 122, 2nd and 3rd is also 122, 4th is 98, 5th is 133, 6th is 142 and the number of teachers is 36. Courtyard in this school has hill, and there is Hyakuyoubako that a little bit big white box used science class. Also, there is bamboo leaves board. By the way, importantly, earthquake residence of this school is top in Kumamoto.

9th presenter is Kaede Matsumoto.


 She introduced double household house in Sakai, Osaka. This is designed by Yoshinobu Mizutani. This is renovated for double household house from reinforced concrete to two-storied house. Older parents are living in first floor, younger couple is living in upper floor. Each private living have courtyard, these connect to each other in vertival direction. Large glass doors divide living and courtyard so that there is unified space that composed inside and outside continually.

 10th presenter is Yuka Uchikawa.


 She had lived in her house with a courtyard in her hometown. She described her thinking about having a courtyard under her real experiences. She felt that courtyard makes interior look like attractive. Also, she can relax for cool down at courtyard in summer because there are trees so there is shade by them that cool compared with outside whithout roof.  Trees in the courtyard is effective to down temperature. Besides, courtyard brings winds to room leaving their privacy. By the way, there are some problems. If you make courtyard when you build a house, you have to pay more money. Furthermore, it needs large space used to design. Of course, this is case by case.




Courtyard can make space that outdoors not public but private. Furthermore, it's convenient for bringing light and wind. I think this is why houses with courtyard have exsisted all over the world. By the way, I think it's interesting making courtyard to divide space, because this way can say to divide using courtyard and also to connect using it.