The Avlí Houses (Avlí: Αυλή = courtyard) reinterpret the archetype of the Cypriot courtyard house, creating a contemporary multi-generational summer retreat where shared family life and individual privacy coexist around a common outdoor heart.
Located on a 607-square-meter site in Paralimni, Cyprus, the project was commissioned by two related families seeking to build independent vacation homes while preserving their tradition of spending the summer together. The primary challenge was to accommodate two fully functional residences on a single plot, ensuring each household enjoyed autonomy, privacy, and generous outdoor living spaces without compromising opportunities for everyday interaction.
Rather than adopting a conventional semi-detached configuration, the project organizes the two houses around a shared central courtyard that becomes the social and spatial focus of the development. One residence addresses the street while the second is positioned at the rear of the site, creating an inward-looking composition that prioritizes collective outdoor living over street frontage. Both houses deliberately turn inward, echoing the spatial logic of traditional Cypriot courtyard houses, where domestic life is organized around a protected internal open space rather than outward-facing façades.Access to both homes is choreographed through this shared open space, drawing inspiration from the spatial principles of traditional Cypriot vernacular architecture, where the courtyard mediates between public and private life while serving as the center of domestic activity.
The courtyard functions as both the environmental and social heart of the project. It accommodates the main entrance sequence, a communal outdoor living area, and a small swimming pool, while shaded seating areas and strategically placed vegetation encourage outdoor living throughout the summer months. Beyond its social role, the courtyard operates as a passive climatic device, improving thermal comfort through shading, natural ventilation, and evaporative cooling. Each residence also includes a more secluded outdoor space enclosed by movable bamboo screens that filter sunlight, enhance cross-ventilation, and create adaptable microclimates. A three-meter-wide planting strip of native trees reinforces the relationship between architecture and landscape while contributing to the site's environmental performance.
By carefully balancing collective living with individual retreat, the project proposes an alternative model for multi-family vacation housing rooted in Mediterranean traditions. Inward-facing façades and carefully controlled openings preserve privacy while reinforcing a cohesive architectural identity. The result is a contemporary interpretation of the Cypriot courtyard house, where climate-responsive design, shared rituals, and family life converge to create a resilient and enduring domestic environment.
