Typology of courtyards in apartment block development based on planning openness and permeability

Abstract

In the Russian Federation, the problem of creating a comfortable urban environment is of a national nature. The authors suggest paying attention to the courtyard in apartment block development as this area is one of the most important elements of the urban environment – a buffer space between the apartment and the city. As an important criterion for a comfortable environment is its safety, therefore, it is necessary to understand which courtyards form a sense of security in people, and which do not. The formation of a sense of security of residents is influenced by many different factors. Courtyards, having a different planning arrangement, create different conditions for the comfort of living inhabitants and the degree of use by other people. The authors propose the development of a typology of courtyard spaces based on a sense of comfort and security. As basic characteristics they propose to use: planning openness of the yard, which characterizes the degree of built perimeter of the yard, as well as the permeability of the territory, indicating the accessibility of this area for other residents and their activity. This typology will be the basis for further determining how each type affects the formation of a sense of security among residents and what measures from an architectural point of view can be applied to ensure the formation of this feeling.