RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Garden in the Building: Córdoba's Courtyards
JF Landscape Journal
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 123
OP 137
DO 10.3368/lj.15.2.123
VO 15
IS 2
A1 Reynolds, John S.
A1 Lowry, William P.
YR 1996
UL http://lj.uwpress.org/content/15/2/123.abstract
AB The courtyard, a highly controlled landscape intimately related to its surrounding building, is examined for its esthetic, social, and technical roles in some buildings of Córdoba, Spain. Plants, water, and inhabitants are shown to have particular impact on the courtyard's success at maintaining cooler summer conditions than the street beyond. This cooling benefits from the contrast (both physiological and psychological) between the courtyard and the street. Detailed measurements of three courtyards in Córdoba demonstrate the role of courtyard depth, shading devices, and evaporation, as well as opportunities for winter access to sun.