Shaded Patio House

Shaded Patio House is an original illustration set in Guadalquivir Lowlands, Spain. It lies in mid-latitudes, where the climate is mediterranean — hot dry summers, wet winters.

A small central patio is shaded by arcaded galleries on two levels. The walls are whitewashed above deep blue ceramic base tiles, canvas awnings are stretched between the upper railings, and a square fountain sits with plants at the centre.

Why is the courtyard cooler than the street outside?

The patio is a cooling machine: shade plus water plus a chimney of rising air, so the courtyard stays measurably cooler than the street outside. Awnings close the top when the sun is highest. Whitewash reflects; ceramic tiles wipe clean and resist damp at the base of the wall. The whole plan is inward-facing, which is what you build when the outside is unbearable for months.

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