Where architecture
opens to the sky.

Yes — most courtyards we work on are existing ones, often underused service areas being transformed into genuine living spaces. We assess drainage, floor finish, structural loading where planters are involved, and the building’s relationship with the space as it stands, coordinating with your architect or structural engineer where modifications are needed. For new construction we advise during the design phase, before floors are laid and walls are rendered, which is when the most considered outcomes are possible.

Every project begins with an analysis of how light moves through the space across the day and the year — where sun falls morning and afternoon, where permanent shade sits, and how that shifts between Bangalore’s summer and monsoon months. A courtyard receiving less than four hours of direct sun needs a very different planting palette from one open to the midday sky. Deep enclosed courtyards get species that genuinely prefer diffused light, and we use light-coloured wall finishes and reflective stone paving to amplify what light there is. We never specify a plant that cannot actually grow in the conditions of that courtyard.

Both, and a courtyard is the best place in a garden for them. The enclosure amplifies the sound of water and the surrounding walls give it a backdrop, so we design water features — from simple stone bowls to architectural reflecting pools — as integral elements rather than catalogue additions. Lighting is designed for every project: uplighting for specimen plants, ambient light for seating, accent light on architectural surfaces. Because light bounces wall to wall, an enclosed courtyard holds atmosphere after dark in a way open gardens rarely do.

Scale and enclosure. A courtyard is defined by architecture — walls on most or all sides, sky above, a contained floor area. It is intimate by nature: a place to pause, to sit, to hear water without the city intruding. A private garden is more expansive, with a boundary at ground level rather than walls. Courtyard design sits closer to interior design in its attention to surface, proportion and enclosure.

In a courtyard every surface is seen at close range and from several angles, so floor material, wall finish and planting-bed edging are designed together as one composition. We work with Kadappa stone, laterite, lime plaster, teak and a range of other materials chosen for the character of each project. In Goa, where courtyards are often part of Portuguese colonial architecture — sometimes with an original well or fountain — we respect the proportions and materials of the existing building while creating planting that performs in the tropical climate. In Bangalore, courtyards are most common in independent houses and villas, shaded by the surrounding structure.

Courtyard concept and planting design; tree and feature plant selection; stone, gravel and surface material selection; water features and reflection pools; a natural light and ventilation assessment; drainage and irrigation design; and construction documentation with site supervision through to handover. You can read more about how we work on our about page, or see completed work in the portfolio.