The courtyard is one of the oldest ideas in South Asian architecture, and it has not aged. It brings daylight into the middle of a plan, gives every room a second wall to the outside, and creates a private outdoor space that families use every day.
It works on small plots too
A courtyard does not have to be large. Even a narrow light-well, planted and open to the sky, lets air rise and pulls cooler air in from shaded rooms. On a ten-marla plot it can replace side setbacks that would otherwise be wasted.
It supports family life
Children play, elders sit and the household gathers in a space that is protected from the street. In joint families, a shared courtyard lets several households live close together while keeping their own quiet wings.
A good courtyard is a room without a roof.