Inclusive Courtyard

Inclusive Urbanism

MAS in Urban Design 2016/2017, ETH Zurich, Chair of Marc Angélil

Research and writing by Pacharapan Ratananakorn and Hsuan-Tung Lin
Advised by Dr. Sascha Delz and supported by Something Fantastic and Guilliaume Dopchie

Inclusiveness of courtyards results from a functional and social mix into residential compounds and neighborhoods. These inclusive qualities could be defined by a set of 5 criteria; interaction, accessibility, affordability, resilience, and diversity. Investigating through 3 main aspects; historical and environmental background, density and human scale, sequence of space and common uses, including with case studies of courtyards around the world, one can gain understanding in how to actualize the inclusive courtyard typology. From the investigation, the inclusive courtyards that can stimulate social interaction are designed by concerning about the human needs and good quality of the environment. The difference in cultures and religions plays an important role in creating different levels of accessibility. Further, building clearly hierarchies of private and public space can help promote communal public uses, while the residents still enjoy their privacy. Availability of materials and techniques, and communal uses are the keys to make housing affordable. Most importantly, the inclusive courtyards that embrace diverse and resilient uses will strengthen social and functional inclusion. Promoting such inclusive qualities within courtyard housing, the residents could actually become part of their neighborhoods and integrate into the society.