By Rajat Kumar, Founder & Principal Architect, Recro Kardo Studio
Within the confines of life at home, the courtyard has been the home of traditional houses. It has been a space that has always seen the family come together in joy and sorrow, has been embraced by night and day, summers and winters equally. Over the years, however, this central space began to vanish. Perhaps the limited land in growing cities, changing lifestyles, and an inclination toward western-inspired layouts led to the courtyard being replaced. At times, its essence was faintly recalled in open setback designs, halls, or terraces, but its centrality to family life had faded.
A Revival Rooted in Tradition and Sustainability
With rising awareness about sustainability and an increasing affection for traditional knowledge, courtyards are making a strong comeback in modern Indian homes. The 2020 epidemic played an important role in this change. As people spent more time at home, they came to value it not just as a shelter but as a sanctuary, a place that must nurture both body and mind. The desire for open spaces, natural ventilation and greenery inside the house has intensified since then. Today, architects and home owners are reconceptualising the courtyard in new ways, combining centuries old attraction with contemporary needs. Even in urban plots with tight constraints, design solutions are finding space for courtyards; from the smallest patch that holds a single plant to expansive open voids around which the rhythm of the house once again revolves.
Many Shapes and Sizes
Modern courtyards come in varied forms. Some homes revive the idea of a single, large courtyard that anchors all family activities. Others experiment with many, small courtyards placed at various levels of the house, which make up the vertical breathing locations connecting the rooms with light and air. Today’s courtyards are not bound by the strict rules of the past. A compact house may feature a zen-inspired garden or a small pond, while a huge villa can embrace a fully developed courtyard with vertical gardens, waterfalls, or even green scenes opening for green scenes. The flexibility of the design allows the courtyard to be compatible with lifestyle, budget and available space.
Bringers of Light and Air
Perhaps the most concrete advantage of the courtyard is how they change the indoor environment. They act as a natural shaft of light, illuminate the interiors and reduce the requirement of artificial light during the day. At the same time, they facilitate cross-ventilation, which invites fresh air to broadcast independently. Through filtering the experience of light through the house at different times of the day, or through filtering the soft air, connects the inhabitants more closely than the rhythm of nature.
Intimate place for relaxation
Beyond its practical benefits, the courtyards make deep individual retreat. Imagine a fish pond in the evening and a winding below a champa tree in your personal internal courtyard. Bedrooms, study areas, or lounge adjacent to the lounge, the courtyards designed and designed to become places of intimacy and calm – places where one can sit quietly, can read a book, meditate, or simply connect themselves again between greenery. Unlike open balconies or gardens to the outside world, these in-interacted places provide peace without infiltration.
Event Spaces Within the Home
Courtyards also revive their traditional role as gathering spaces They bring back the laughter of children who play safely under the attentive eyes of the parents, the warmth of friends for an evening of conversation, or the joy of family members performing worship around a Tulsi plant. With creative designs, some courtyards even turn into small amphitheaters, with informal gate-legs, cultural evenings, or double steps as seating for the ceremony inside the house.
The Courtyard in Modern Context
The new appearance of the courtyard in Indian homes exceeds an aesthetic trend – it reflects a change in values. Urban life has often removed families from natural elements, but the courtyards bring them back to everyday life. They have served as a reminder that architecture is not only about walls and roofs, but also about spaces in the middle – voids breathing life in a structure. As the modern design embraces rapid stability, biofilia and cultural continuity, the courtyard has become a symbol of balance. They stand at the intersection of tradition and modernity, work and emotion, nature and nutrition. From compact urban homes to huge villas, the courtyard is regaining its role as the heart of the Indian house, once again becoming a place where life thrives in its perfection.
About the author
Rajat Kumar is a highly accomplished architect, educator, and design expert with over 25 years of experience. He is renowned for his unique approach, which seamlessly blends traditional elements with innovative designs. His work is characterized by a deep understanding of local and global design trends, a passion for craftsmanship, and a commitment to empathetic design solutions. Born and raised in Delhi, Rajat pursued his architectural studies at the esteemed Sushant School of Art and Architecture, graduating in 2000. He began his career in diverse roles, including research at Outlook Traveller and conservation work with INTACH, before establishing his own firm, Recro Kardo Studio, in 2004.
