VALUE 2020

An International Conference on Visionary Action towards Liveable Urban Environment

Theme 2 : Green Architecture

Paper title :

The Influence of Courtyard Form in Providing a

Comfortable Indoor Environment in Buildings at
Pondicherry

Presented by – Dhivya, DhivaShri , Praveen Kumar, George

Stephen

Dhivya , vigneswaren@midas.ac.in , The Influence of Courtyard form in Providing a Comfortable Indoor Environment in Buildings
at Pondicherry.
 IS IT REALLY
NECESSARY TO HAVE A
COURTYARD ?

Dhivya , vigneswaren@midas.ac.in , The Influence of Courtyard form in Providing a Comfortable Indoor

Environment in Buildings at Pondicherry.
 THE HERITAGE TOWN

French Tamil
Town Town

• THREE STYLES : French , Franco-Tamil , Tamil

• French style : front yards and Backyards
• Tamil style : Nallukattu , Etukattu.

Dhivya , vigneswaren@midas.ac.in , The Influence of Courtyard form in Providing a Comfortable Indoor Environment in Buildings at
Pondicherry.
 WHY
COURTYARDS IN
PONDICHERRY?

Climate
• Falls under warm and
humid zone

Town Planning
• Grid pattern
• Liner rectangular plots.
• sharing of common
compound wall

Dhivya , vigneswaren@midas.ac.in , The Influence of Courtyard form in Providing a Comfortable Indoor Environment in Buildings at
Pondicherry.
What is courtyard ?

Courtyard in Tamil style

Ancient courtyard Front yard in French style

Backyard in Franco Tamil style

Courtyard used as a ornamental space
Dhivya , vigneswaren@midas.ac.in , The Influence of Courtyard form in Providing a Comfortable Indoor Environment in Buildings at
Pondicherry.
 BENEFITS OF COURTYARD

• Presence of
tulsi plant in • Passive cooling
• More than one
centre of the strategy.
courtyard.
courtyard. • Natural lighting.
• Gathering. • Private and
• Extension of public courtyard. • Religious
kitchen and • Privacy from gathering. CLIMATE
living room. street view. RELIGIOUS
• Sound barrier.
CULTURAL
SOCIAL

Dhivya , vigneswaren@midas.ac.in , The Influence of Courtyard form in Providing a Comfortable Indoor Environment in Buildings at
Pondicherry.
COURTYARD AS A PASSIVE COOLING
STRATERGY.

• Maintains air flow.

• By using proper materials such as light colour and highly reflective materials, it acts as a cool
air reservoir.
• PARAMETERS:
o Aspect ratio
o Size of courtyard
o Orientation
o Exposure to sunlight
o Height of wall
Air circulation during the day Air circulation during the night

Dhivya , vigneswaren@midas.ac.in , The Influence of Courtyard form in Providing a Comfortable Indoor Environment in Buildings at
Pondicherry.
CASE STUDY:
Sample Study 1
The study was done in INTACH Pondicherry
building, a residential building converted into a
commercial bock. The building is rectangular in plan
containing two courtyards. The courtyards are of
dimension 4.9 x 3.7 x 4.9. They are surrounded by a
U – shaped corridor. The height of the courtyard is
2.3m from the finished floor level. FIG.1 floor plan , INTACH

Sample study 2
The second study was done at a tamil house
that was recently constructed. The courtyard is
replaced by scattered shaft like opening (OTS).
The dimension of a opening is 1.5 x 3.

FIG.2 floor plan, Tamil house

Dhivya , vigneswaren@midas.ac.in , The Influence of Courtyard form in Providing a Comfortable Indoor Environment in Buildings at
Pondicherry.
MORPHOLOGICAL INDICATORS :

The natural ventilation and the air movement inside the courtyard building can be determined using two
factors:
• Temperature generated pressure differences (STACK EFFECT)
• Wind generated pressure differences ( CROSS VENTILATION)

Courtyard Opening Ratio Ratio and

morphological Indices.
Description Sample study 1 Sample study 2

Open ratio = courtyard area/total surface area of the

building Ground floor level 0.27 0.065
Courtyard opening
ratio

Aspect Ratio First floor level 0.67 0.044

Aspect ratio = courtyard floor area/ average height of Ground floor level 0.45 0.032
walls Aspect ratio

surrounding courtyard First floor level 4.2 0.025

Table1 : morphological indicators and ratio

Dhivya , vigneswaren@midas.ac.in , The Influence of Courtyard form in Providing a Comfortable Indoor Environment in Buildings at
Pondicherry.
ABSENCE AND REPLACEMENT

DIVISION ACTIVE
COOLING
TECHNIQUES

RISE OF AWARENESS
COST

Dhivya , vigneswaren@midas.ac.in , The Influence of Courtyard form in Providing a Comfortable Indoor Environment in Buildings at
Pondicherry.
 IN THE ABSENCE OF COURTYARD

• Insufficient lighting
• Insufficient cross
ventilation ADVANTAGES
• Loss of its vernacular
value

• Less plot area

• Usage of courtyard
space for other
DISADVANTAGES purpose

Dhivya , vigneswaren@midas.ac.in , The Influence of Courtyard form in Providing a Comfortable Indoor Environment in Buildings at
Pondicherry.
CONCLUSION:

• Sustainability
• Awareness
• Importance
• Thermal
comfort

Dhivya , vigneswaren@midas.ac.in , The Influence of Courtyard form in Providing a Comfortable Indoor Environment in
Buildings at Pondicherry.