[.ca] Courtyards: Aesthetic, Social, and Thermal Delight (ISBN 0471398845)

THE Book on Courtyards.:
Courtyards is a terrific book, the result of 20+ years of loving research. Oregon Professor John Reynolds is crazy for courtyards and it certainly shows. A courtyard is a space surrounded by a building, often surrounded by a house. There are all manner of courtyards, large, small, huge, quiet, loud. Some are open and others are terribly private. But all good courtyards have things in common. In the landscapes most of us in the US are used to, we have a house and the gardens are on the outside and we see them before we see the house. In a sense these landscapes serve mostly as dressing to enhance the outward look of the house. But a fine courtyard garden is different. It is smack in the middle of the house and the house surrounds it. It is not wide open to the world, but instead is a place to get away from it all, a place to be outside, but not to be out in the open. The best courtyards are open to the sky, have water, vines, a multitude of interesting flowers, trees, potted plants. A large number of the very finest courtyard plants are discussed in detail in this excellent book. I was struck by how interesting the numerous photos and designs were. Profusely illustrated, each one serves a definitive purpose. I was struck too, by how many different things go into the making of a well thought out courtyard. What is involved so that it will be warm in the winter and cool in the hot summer. What is involved so that it becomes a place where people want to be. I took many notes as I read this large book and some day I plan to build a house of my own design, and in the middle of it, I'm going to have a courtyard. And in this courtyard, I'll have all the things needed, the ingredients so carefully detailed here, that make the right courtyard a magical place. I'd recommend this book for anyone who ever plans to build their own home, for all landscape designers, for all architects, for anyone with a serious interest in horticulture and design. An excellent book.

Must have for courtyard designer:
Courtyards book is filling a gap in architectural book market where much is focused on nice pictures and minimal designs. Few technical books that gets published receive little attention. But this book will attract the designer as well as the technician. All technical aspects are simlply stated and science and aesthetics of the courtyards are very well covered with nice drawings and beautiful photos. The guidelines that summarize the long research are very clear, creating a pattern language for courtyard design. Being an architect from Turkey, I have been interested with courtyards and did some research. This book is doing much groundwork for those who will design a residential courtyard. But the guidelines would also apply to commercial atriums. Too bad that housing today is understood as single family housing in American Style Villas or public housing as high rise apartment buildings. This book proves that with the correct guidelines very nice and dense housing is possible. Ýt inspired me to do some courtyard housing design. I am sure it will be one of the most used buildings of my library.

Living Places:
In a world where so many of our buildings are dead, John Reynold's "Courtyards: Aesthetic, Social, and Thermal Delight" treats us to a world of buildings that live. It is that rare book that feeds part of the brain with with inspiration and beauty, while informing the other side how its done. This book clearly articulates patterns and concepts for approaching courtyard design as a function of climate, use, people and place. It is a book that any designer will value for its lessons and observations on what makes a building live, but will be appreciated by everyone who loves beautiful buildings. For those looking to create built environments that honor and nurture both the human spirit and the more than human world, John Reynolds offers luminous insights. This book belongs in the library of every designer.

Honest Reviews?:
Were all the reviews written by the author? Give me a break! The fact that every review sounds the same will keep me from ever purchasing this book. In that case, I guess all the reviews helped!

An Exceptional Book:
'Courtyards' is a rare and captivating book. I think it tries to be many things; I think it succeeds completely. It has the visual elegance of a coffee table book, but is as far as it can be from being a bauble. It is a comprehensive architectural treatise, presenting not only conceptual discussions but also detailed, comparative technical information. In this it does not shy away from scientific explanations, showing precisely how and why courtyards do what they do. Perhaps above all, it is clearly a work of passion. Professor Reynolds loves his work, his subject, and obviously loves sitting in courtyards and marveling at what they can do to a home's comfort and allure. It is a book to dream on.