I am designing an office building and hope to incorporate an interior courtyard in the middle of the building. I am trying to figure out how big to make this to support plant life and bring ample natural light to the space.
The courtyard walls will be 16' high. Ideally the space would be 16' x 32', but I am not sure this is big enough.
I am also debating whether I should have this courtyard open to outside above or a glass roof with the plant material in the interior space. The potential issues are with drainage and snow build-up.
Does anyone have any information or examples of this done before?
My preference is for open courtyards with no roof, and big enough to have some sort of element (tree, planting, habitable space) so that it's not just a lightwell. I think the height of this building, and other proportions as well as the material choices, permeability, etc. will determine whether 16x32 is big enough. Initially I think not, but I think you can make it work.
Feb 12, 09 5:47 pm ·
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Interior Courtyard
I am designing an office building and hope to incorporate an interior courtyard in the middle of the building. I am trying to figure out how big to make this to support plant life and bring ample natural light to the space.
The courtyard walls will be 16' high. Ideally the space would be 16' x 32', but I am not sure this is big enough.
I am also debating whether I should have this courtyard open to outside above or a glass roof with the plant material in the interior space. The potential issues are with drainage and snow build-up.
Does anyone have any information or examples of this done before?
Thanks
Lever House, NYC
Rookery, Chicago
My preference is for open courtyards with no roof, and big enough to have some sort of element (tree, planting, habitable space) so that it's not just a lightwell. I think the height of this building, and other proportions as well as the material choices, permeability, etc. will determine whether 16x32 is big enough. Initially I think not, but I think you can make it work.
Block this user
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