Courtyard Existence between the Past and the Present, Case Study: Central Region, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The courtyard is one of the architectural features used in ancient times for many purposes, such as climate modifiers, as a place for family gatherings, and as a playground for children. Over time, the courtyard gradually disappeared, and it no longer has a special presence in residential buildings. The study deals with exploring courtyards in the old and modern buildings in the central region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which was characterized by its strong presence in ancient times. Therefore, the paper holds seven case studies to compare the most important features in commons, middle, and contemporary houses. The research reaches the truth of the extinction of the courtyard and its replacement by other elements that negatively affected the social, ecological, and economic aspects of Saudi residents, and assures the dependence on mechanical treatments that harmfully distressed the building energy likewise affected the social aspects at the level of family and society alike. Courtyards with environmental design basics provided high energy efficiency to building through daylight and ventilation which helps in decreasing electricity and HVAC loads. This paper invites researchers and builders to reuse the courtyard or the Patio concept again as a design tool in contemporary buildings to save future resources and maintain sustainability principles.