62 SUSSEX

Project Description

The House of Seven Courtyards

We called this project the "House of Seven Courtyards". Set on a generous site, the house is organized as a single-story residence, but instead of pursuing a compact and straightforward plan, we developed a more complex spatial structure. Seven distinct courtyards are woven into the house, each with its own function, atmosphere, and degree of privacy.

The first courtyard welcomes visitors as they approach the house. A small entrance garden centered around a mature tree creates a quiet threshold between the landscape and the interior, establishing the natural character of the architecture from the very first moment.

Another courtyard is connected to the home office. The approach takes you across a shallow reflecting pool, accompanied by a bonsai and a Japanese-inspired garden. This creates a carefully choreographed transition between spaces, allowing the atmosphere to change as you move through the house. It also provides a distinctive setting for welcoming and entertaining guests.

The private areas follow a different logic. A secluded courtyard is located directly off the master bedroom and is completely shielded from outside views. An open-air bathroom connects directly to this private landscape, turning an everyday domestic ritual into a more intimate experience of nature.

A separate courtyard serves the wellness and fitness area. The gym is accompanied by a sauna and individual soaking tubs, with the outdoor space allowing exercise and relaxation to naturally extend into the landscape.

In this project, the courtyard is therefore much more than an outdoor space. Each of the seven courtyards becomes an extension of a specific function within the house, establishing its own level of privacy, sequence, and atmosphere.

At the same time, all of these spaces are united by a single architectural idea. Rather than being enclosed within one continuous volume, the single-story house repeatedly opens itself toward the landscape through a series of distinct outdoor rooms. The generous site becomes not merely a setting for the architecture, but one of its primary materials.

The House of Seven Courtyards is an exploration of the suburban home as a sequence of different environments, where each courtyard offers its own way of living and every transition between them becomes part of the everyday experience.