Nalukettu / Haveli / Wada
The courtyard house
Born in Persian, Arab, Chinese siheyuan, Indian, Roman / Mediterranean.
How it works
The most widespread climate form. The inward court delivers shade, stack ventilation, a night-cooled thermal sink, optional evaporative water, daylight without heat gain, and a social heart, a multi-tool, not a single trick.
In a modern home
Internal courts, vertical atria, 'courtyard-in-the-sky' voids for apartments, bioclimatic zoning around a shaded core.
What it answers
Built from
Source
A richly evidenced typology, strong, citable, and culturally legible in India.
Follow the threads
Courtyard stack ventilationshares poor ventilation, overheating, low daylight→Windcatchershares poor ventilation, overheating, breath→Orientation & inward-facing plansshares overheating, poor ventilation, cool→Cavity brick wallshares overheating, cool, hot & dry→Interlocking terracotta roof tilesshares poor ventilation, plan & form, cool→Shaded draft loggiashares poor ventilation, breath, cool→