Behavioral use of courtyard in a Nupe cultural landscape of Nigeria

Abstract

Courtyards especially in tropical climates over time has attracted more research inclination on its bio-climatic effect on buildings. However, spaces such as courtyards in cultural landscapes are not necessarily carved out for environmental performance alone but to also fulfill the requirement of people's daily routines. Doko village, a Nupe community in central Nigeria is characterised with vernacular architecture that incorporates multiple courtyards within its compound layouts. The spatial characters of the courtyards were captured with the aide Google earth images and then followed by a phenomenological assessment. It involved an eight month ethnographic study of Doko community with a periodic activity log of 12 families during the course of their interactions with the courtyard. The result shows an adaptive behavioural use of courtyard and its effect in shaping the activities of people, thereby serving as a place more than its function as space.