An examination of the use of courtyard in urban text in the sample of the city of Malatya

Human beings have sought to meet the need for shelter since their existence. In line with these searches, an understanding of housing has emerged to be protected from climatic and social effects. While the housing concept was developing, associating with open spaces became the main principle and thus the concept of sheltered open space developed. The courtyard is defined as a sheltered open space that is located in the middle of the houses and isolated from external influences. The first examples of courtyards appear in Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations. It was used not only in residential areas, but also in buildings with different functions such as monasteries, castles and temples. In addition to physical factors, it has started to be used with cultural influences such as Far East and Indo-Islamic culture. When the courtyard usage in traditional Turkish houses is examined, it is seen that privacy is at the forefront. It has been used to create a microclimatic area in hot dry climates and to provide privacy in other regions. When the traditional houses in the province of Malatya are examined, it is concluded that they are used in some areas where there are no courtyards in all houses, and as a result, they are formed as a result of cultural effects rather than climatic factors. The courtyards of the houses examined provide the transition between the house and the street or between the house and the garden in planning. When it comes to the sustainability of the traditional texture, suggestions have been made to include the sustainability of the courtyard as a space, both as a place to protect it from the negative effects of the climate and to meet the needs of the period.