Yard: Introvert Houses


In these houses, courtyard is the core and center of house; in all those houses, there is a central yard. Though might not be geometrically a real center, but for living and activity and connecting various parts together, visual application and other matters, it is a center of house. The entirety of house has a close connection with central yard.

The most important spaces are built and designed around yard, which has a regular complete feature, though site of the house may have no distinguished geometric shape.

Central yard is symmetrical, with a main axis; the other axis is vertically over it. The main aspects of the house stand inside and around central yard. Yard is rectangular and square shape and principal spaces place over symmetrical axis of yard; usually entrance corridor reaches the corner of central yard and yard, owing to various reasons, such as terracing and using soil of the yard, to make mud brick, and due to climatic problems is placed at a few steps lower than street level.

In yard making of ancient houses, there was a pool and a little garden as the most prominent factor of construction. Those extra places were designed to validate main spaces of building and the main appearance for stressing on the space and special axis.

Orientation of yard was set in a way, that all through the year provided hygienic desirable surrounding and benefited turning sun and sunshine for subordinate rooms. When orientation was not adequate against sand storm or placement of mountain or blowing wind, middle yard was tending to South West. This orientation is result of geometrical design of rectangular embedded in regular six angle.

In Northern section of middle yard, there are parasol places usable all through the year, which stand mostly in the winter section of building, while in shadowy Southern part stand summer residences.

In East, looking toward hot sunshine of West, are unimportant places like storage and hayracks. Those spaces are lit by ceiling and scarcely have opening or door to middle yard. Eastern part, due to unpleasantness, as much as it prevents no desirable angle to orientation of middle yard, is appropriated to proportional removal and non-squaring of the land.

Foregoing division are according to priorities, otherwise dimensions and directions of middle yard, pool and little garden, parasol elements and shade factors, ventilator organs, choosing and application of adequate materials and other measures, make all parts serviceable in all four seasons, expect for Eastern quarters in summer.

Size of yard in houses, with great, small and semi admeasure, was different and feature of yard in those houses were obtained from golden proportion.

In introvert houses, with due attention to various operations, we have various types of yard:

Outer Yard:
A rather small yard, that causes formation of outer spaces, which undertakes entertaining guests and visitors.
This yard may apply for following purposes:
1- Providing enough light for exterior rooms
2- Dividing movement toward exterior rooms
3- Creating green space and pleasant surrounding for entire set.

Cortile
Cortile is the largest yard of house, appropriated to close relatives; in houses, where there is no exterior yard or Parvis, cortile has both applications.
It applies for following purposes:
1- providing light for rooms
2- dividing movement
3- providing green space
4- having a pool in yard, results possibility of access to water and its applications like laundry and dish washing
5- sleeping in summer time

Little Garden Pit
Little Garden Pit is a yard lower than rooms, as much as one story. There is usually a portico around it. Pit is dug for access to aqua duct water.
This yard may apply for following purposes:
1- access to water
2- a cool place to spend hot hours of summer
3- to have a green space

Stable Yard
1- To keep cattle and livestock in spring and summer
2- Storage of provender
3- Keeping fowl

Kitchen Yard
Kitchen yard is a small yard built at kitchen side in aristocratic houses for the reason of:
1- Some cooking operations is done in open space
2- Division among spaces around this yard

Patio or Backyard
Patio or backyard is a small yard located sometimes beyond vestibule, for the reason of:
1- Role of division
2- Performing some works like transaction and trading

Narenjestan Yard
Yard of Orange Trees
Sometimes this yard is one single unit, together with kitchen yard. It is coverable due to small area in winter to be protected from cold weather for:
1- Protecting citreous
2- In large covered spaces providing illuminator in house
3- An adequate ventilation in house