A patio is an enclosed outdoor space bounded on several sides — often all four — by building or walls, and open to the sky. The word is Spanish and refers to the courtyard of the traditional southern European and Moorish house, where the building turns inward around a cool, sheltered core.
In everyday British and Dutch use, patio also covers a sunken terrace or an enclosed town garden.
Why a patio works
- Shelter from wind — the enclosing walls make the space usable for far more of the year than an open terrace.
- Privacy — no overlooking, even on a small plot or at high density.
- Daylight and ventilation — in a deep or wide house the patio brings light and air right into the middle of the plan.
- Climate — the shade of the walls keeps a patio cooler than an exposed terrace in summer, while the mass of the walls holds warmth in spring and autumn.
The courtyard house
The courtyard or patio house is a low-rise type in which the dwelling wraps around an internal garden on a single storey. Closed street elevations and entirely inward-facing living rooms are characteristic. The type is popular for combining single-level living with complete privacy.
Design considerations
- Drainage — a patio is a tank without an overflow. Provide at least one drain of adequate capacity, preferably two, plus an emergency overflow or a threshold that lets water escape outward rather than into the house if a gully blocks.
- Threshold height — set the patio surface clearly below the floor of the adjoining room and run a channel drain along the glazing.
- Daylight — a narrow patio with high walls receives very little light. Rule of thumb: the higher the walls, the wider the patio must be. Pale wall finishes help considerably.
- Access — work out in advance how large plants, garden furniture or building materials will get into the patio if there is no way through from outside.
- Leaves and snow — a sheltered corner collects leaves and gullies block quickly. Plan the maintenance.
- Frost — do not run unprotected pipework through the patio.
Related terms
- Courtyard
- Atrium
- Terrace
- Courtyard house
- Lightwell
- Channel drain
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