HomeCourtyards and patios in the Mediterranean

Courtyards and patios in the Mediterranean

Cours et patios en Méditerranée

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Published on Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Abstract

Français English

The courtyard or patio house, based on the intimate appropriation of a fragment of sky at the heart of the domestic space, is a major archetype of human habitation. Deeply rooted in Mediterranean traditions, it surprises with its longevity and its ability to generate unique expressions, shaped by the diversity of physical and cultural contexts. This archetype, which has spanned the centuries, from the ancient world to contemporary projects, continues to inspire architects, thinkers, and creators, and has regained particular relevance in light of the challenges of the 21st century, as contemporary issues invite us to rethink modes of dwelling.  To explore these dimensions, the conference adopts a multidisciplinary approach structured around four cross-cutting themes. It is aimed at a diverse range of profiles—architects, historians, anthropologists, sociologists, archaeologists, artists, writers, climatologists, etc.—drawing on scientific contributions, feedback from architects, and artistic expressions.

Announcement

Français English

The National School of Architecture and Urban Planning (ENAU) is organizing, in partnership with the Laboratory of Maghreb Archaeology and Architecture (LAAM) – University of Manouba (UMA), the Sustainable City and Built Environment Laboratory (VDEC) – University of Carthage (UCAR) and the Heritage and Architecturology Research Laboratory (LarPA) – University of Carthage (UCAR), in partnership with the Association for the Preservation of the Medina of Tunis (ASM) and the Association of Historic Cities of Tunisia and the Mediterranean (AVHTM), the first edition of the international symposium “Courtyards and Patios in the Mediterranean” on February 12, 13, and 14, 2026, at Dar Lasram, ASM, La Médina, Tunis, Tunisia.

Argument

Dwelling, one of whose primary functions is to provide shelter, has always expressed an essential relationship between interior and exterior, modulated according to cultures, places, and eras. In the courtyard or patio house, which stands out as one of the major archetypes of human habitation, this relationship is based on the intimate appropriation of a fragment of sky at the heart of the domestic space.

We find this archetype in a wide variety of cultural, historical, and geographical contexts: from the ancient cities of the Greco-Roman world to Pharaonic Egypt, from imperial China to the great capitals of the Arab-Islamic world, and even to the cities of Latin America, where it spread from Andalusia (Abdulac, 2011).

Beyond its universal appeal, the courtyard/patio house remains deeply rooted in Mediterranean traditions, to the point of becoming an emblematic figure. It has shown exceptional longevity and surprises with its ability to adapt to the cultural and physical contexts in which it takes root.

In the 20th century, it was rediscovered by modern architects, who embraced it as a vehicle for formal and programmatic renewal in a context of resemantization of housing in the machine age. It then reappeared with force in the works of critical regionalist architects, who were keen to ground architecture in specific cultural and climatic realities. The second half of the 20th century was therefore naturally marked by a reflexive return to vernacular architecture to fuel contextual architectural thinking (Lucan, 2023).

During this particularly fertile period of exchange of ideas and experiences between architects on both sides of the Mediterranean, the reinterpretation of the patio house contributed significantly to the renewal of sophisticated residential architecture. Numerous projects involving groups of patio houses emerged, spreading from the Maghreb to Northern European countries (Pinson, 2010)(Ben Abdelghani & Ammar , 2018)(Demerdash & Gharbi , 2025 ).

The investigation of the forms, typologies, and spatial and social configurations of the courtyard or patio house in the Mediterranean—whether individual or collective, vernacular or scholarly—could continue for a long time, as it reveals so much about the lives of the inhabitants and their ways of living, the satisfactions and failures in housing and home that form the very basis of our relationship to the world.

The wast ed-dar (وسط الدار) of a dar in the Maghreb medina, vibrating to the rhythm of a wedding band; that of a riad, punctuated by the murmur of fountains and the song of birds nesting in lush vegetation; the atrium of a patrician domus, languishing in the shade of a canopy; the opulent cortile of a palazzo; the sahn (صحن) of a fondouk (فندق), a khan (خان), or even the cortile of a fondaco, crossed by footsteps that meet or part; the silent chiostro of a monastic cloister—all atmospheres that embody, in their uniqueness, the richness of a shared archetype.

The study of these configurations, shaped according to the norms of the domestic group and for this group, provides an opportunity to examine social structures, linguistic geographies, collective imaginaries, community dynamics, and modes of appropriation of domestic space within Mediterranean societies (Rapoport, 1972)  (Thyssen, 1983).

At the beginning of the 21st century, marked by profound political, economic, environmental, and social changes, the courtyard/patio house is acquiring renewed attention. In a context marked by climate emergency and the imminent depletion of fossil fuels, the sustainability and climatic performance of vernacular architecture, as well as its interpretation by 20th-century architects, are attracting renewed interest. Both northern and southern regions are now concerned with issues of global warming and ecological transition, which are driving the development of resilient, passive architecture that regulates temperature (Frini & Rahm, 2025).

There is still much to learn from the expertise accumulated over centuries in the Mediterranean, combining patio or courtyard architecture with complementary features (iwans, galleries, fountains, awnings, climbing plants, etc.), materials (ceramics, marble, etc.) and domestic rituals such as sprinkling the floor with water or moving the places where people live according to the time of day  (Fathy, 1970/1999)  (Abdulac, 2011) (Landoulsi, 2021).

If the climate issue is intrinsically linked to the cultural dimension, it cannot be separated from concerns about the quality of living space. Modulating environmental conditions—managing temperature and humidity, sunlight and ventilation—is essential to creating a pleasant living space.  But this desire for well-being, which reflects the aspirations of each era, has taken on new meanings today.

In a hyperconnected world marked by rising individualism, well-being is now inevitably linked to mental health and invites us to reflect deeply on our relationship with ourselves, others, and nature. Can we, therefore, consider the living space as a possible place to reconnect with the world?

It is through this questioning that the ontological dimension of dwelling, often overlooked, is reemerging, as philosophers such as Heidegger had thought about it in the mid-20th century. “Man inhabits the world,” he wrote, “the world is his space,” and “this in-between is the assigned measure of man's habitation.”  Revisited in light of contemporary issues, this perspective allows us to glimpse, in the patio, the manifest expression of an in-between that connects being to transcendental instances such as nature, the sky, and the cosmos (Heidegger, 1951)(Bonicco-Donato, 2019)(Paquot, 2020).

Indeed, with its view of the sky – (wejh rabbi) – the patio embodies the spirit of the house. Designed as the culmination of a journey composed of visual, light, air, and sound filtering devices, it creates an ambient gradation that takes on the appearance of a protective bubble at the heart of the house, a bubble open to the infinity of the sky.

This has a metaphysical significance, giving rise to a feeling of serenity, or “raha,” expressed by the inhabitants, who attest to these dimensions of both climatic well-being and a supersensible experience that subsumes the sensible register and thus unfolds a sacred, spiritual, or sublime dimension (Landoulsi, 2019).

This vernacular architecture corresponds to a unified vision of the subject and the world that is found in the Arabic language and in Islamic thought, particularly that of Ibn Arabi (Sellami, 2021). This thinking intersects with the atmospheric alternative, which consists of considering the vision of a man who moves from the outset in a state of complete resonance with the world (Rosa, 2018).

Approaching the patio through the prism of the sensible, or even the supersensible, should open up avenues for reflection on the conditions for transposing this device into a contemporary project that gives primacy to inhabiting.

From this perspective, it is also relevant to question how art appropriates this space, which has the potential to generate sensory and unique experiences, as evidenced by the art installations created, for example, during the Dream City festival in Tunis or the Architectures vives festival in Montpellier (Catalogue l'Art Rue, 2025) (Morain, 2023).

Objectives

This conference aims to examine this architectural archetype through a multidisciplinary approach combining architectural, anthropological, philosophical, ethnographic, bioclimatic, and other perspectives. It will be approached as a universal and recurring form, revealing an understanding of space and an ontology of dwelling, deeply rooted in the long history of Mediterranean civilizations and a constant source of renewal for both architectural thought and practice.

It is within this framework that we propose to reflect on, reveal through analysis, and materialize—through iconographic, textual and narrative, audiovisual, or scenographic—the tangible or intangible realities of these individual or collective, scholarly or popular, modest or affluent types of buildings, which constitute the archetypes of living and habitat in the Mediterranean in a time span extending from antiquity to the contemporary world.

As part of a pluralistic reflection that brings together researchers from different disciplines and several Mediterranean cities, as well as practicing architects who have had the opportunity to revive the patio in their projects in one form or another, and artists inspired by the patio, the conference proposes to explore four complementary and transversal themes.

Thematic axes

AXIS 1.  The courtyard and patio as structuring elements of Mediterranean housing: Forms, socio-spatial practices, and cultural identities

This theme places courtyards and patios at the center of the social and cultural dynamics of Mediterranean housing. As catalysts for practices rooted in diverse cultural and physical contexts, these spaces serve as receptacles for scenes of life that reveal the norms, values, and collective imaginaries of the groups that inhabit them. The aim is to observe these spaces as places of social regulation where the boundaries between private and public, individual and collective, community belonging and individual appropriation, everyday life and events are constantly being negotiated.

AXIS 2. Courtyards and patios, bioclimatic history and environmental devices

This axis addresses the bioclimatic and environmental dimensions of courtyards and patios, which act as thermal regulators between the outside and inside, adapted to the nuances of the Mediterranean climate.

In-depth study of these systems, which combine mastery of physical phenomena such as convection, conduction, evaporation, and radiation with behavioral codes and the use of local natural resources, paves the way for a renewal of contemporary architectural practice, anchoring it in specific physical and cultural contexts to produce resilient habitats adapted to current challenges.

Axis 3. Courtyards and patios, phenomenological experimentation

This axis approaches the patio as a place that allows the subject to resonate with the world, a place for individual and/or shared experiences, a place for multisensory and aesthetic experiences (in the sense of aestheisis), and a place that establishes a common ground for these shared experiences.

From this perspective, the aim is to evaluate the ambient tones that give rise to this resonance, the link between spatial configurations, social representations, and sensory and transcendental dimensions.

This axis therefore seeks to examine the aesthetic, symbolic, and suprasensory dimensions of the patio. It also addresses the potential of this device to generate inspiration, expression, and artistic experience.

Axis 4. Reinvented courtyards and patios: 20th-century architectural experiments and their contemporary resonance

This theme focuses on the patio/courtyard house as a central figure of reflection and design. Although it has been the subject of abundant literature, the prolific legacy of a century of experimentation, mainly by modern and regionalist architects, around patio and courtyard designs remains to be documented and studied.

The aim is to use these various experiences to question the universality of this archetype, which, far from encapsulating housing in a rigid and normative model, is based on what both unites cultures and magnifies their precious singularities.

At the same time, we will examine the relevance of this figure today, through the issues associated with it and the approaches through which it continues to fuel contemporary architectural practice, at the crossroads of contemporary issues and challenges.

In addition to scientific contributions, feedback from practicing architects is expected, as well as works, performances, or artistic installations.

Schedule

•    Deadline for abstract submission: September 1, 2025

•    Notification to authors of accepted abstracts: October 15, 2025

•    Registration deadline: November 15, 2025

•    Deadline for receipt of articles: January 15, 2026

•    Conference: February 12, 13, and 14, 2026

•    Notifications to authors for publication: April 15, 2026

Submission procedures

Abstracts, articles, and posters (displayed communications) will be evaluated by members of the conference scientific committee using a double-blind review process. Submissions must be original and unpublished. The official languages of the conference are Arabic, English, and French

Abstracts: Abstract proposals must be in Arabic, French, or English. They must be sent to the following email address: cpmedtunisie@gmail.com and via the conference website: https://cpmed.sciencesconf.org.

They must be formatted according to the “abstract” template in Word and PDF formats attached to the call for papers, and include the following elements:

  •    A title, 5 keywords, a 500-word abstract, an indicative bibliography (5 references) and the thematic focus.
  •    A short biography (4 lines) of the author(s) (first and last name, status, affiliation, institution, postal address, email address, and telephone number).

The file to be sent must be named as follows: CPM26_Author name1

Authors who have submitted abstracts will be notified from October 15, 2025, of the acceptance of their submissions for oral presentation with article or poster. Only articles accepted following double-blind evaluation will be published in the conference proceedings. Articles not selected by the scientific committee will not be published.

  • Articles: Articles to be submitted that correspond to abstracts accepted in the category of oral presentations with articles must be between 25,000 and 30,000 characters (including spaces) and comply with the Word format “article” template sent to the selected authors. If articles are accepted, authors will be notified from April 15, 2026, in order to respond to the reviewers' comments and make the requested corrections to their texts (if necessary).
  • Oral presentations: Abstracts accepted in the category of oral presentations with articles will receive the ppt template for oral presentations from January 15, 2026.
  • Posters: The poster template will be sent by email to the authors concerned when they are notified of the acceptance of their abstracts in the poster category. The deadline for sending posters in PDF format will also be indicated in the email.
  • Photos and illustrations : Photos and illustrations must be submitted with a title and brief description of bestween 50 and 150 words. They should be provided in JPEG and PDF formats, with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.
  • Videos: Videos must be accompanied by presentation text of between 300 ans 500 words, submitted in Word and PDF formats.
  • This text should provide a clear and concise overview of the video’s content.
  • Video files must be in MP4 format, with a minimum resolution of 1920x1080 ( Full HD) and a maximum size of 500 MB.
  • Submissions should be made via a Drive or Vimeo link.

Registration fees

The registration fee for the conference is 450 TND (for Tunisians and North Africans) / 150 euros (for non-Maghrebians). These fees include registration for the conference, the conference materials pack, lunches and coffee breaks, the “Patios of the Medina of Tunis” tour, and other conference activities (to be specified later in the final program). Registration fees are to be paid in TND or Euros by bank transfer to the account of the Association of Historic Cities of Tunisia and the Mediterranean (AHTVM). The association's bank details will be sent to selected authors at a later date.

Publication

Following peer review, selected articles will be published in the conference proceedings (details to be confirmed).

Activities

A guided tour of the iconic patios of the Medina of Tunis will be organized on the last day of the conference, led by renowned scientific experts. Other activities related to the conference will also take place. Details of these activities will be provided in the final conference program.

Partners

  • The National School of Architecture and Urban Planning of Tunis, ENAU
  • The University of Carthage, UCAR
  • The University of Manouba, UMA
  • The Laboratory of Maghreb Archaeology and Architecture, LAAM – UMA
  • The Sustainable City and Built Environment Laboratory, VDEC – UCAR
  • The Heritage and Architecturology Research Laboratory, LarPA – UCAR
  • The Association for the Preservation of the Medina of Tunis, ASM
  • Association of Historic Cities of Tunisia and the Mediterranean, AHTVM
  • National School of Architecture of Marseille, ENSA-Marseille, France
  • University of Coimbra, Portugal
  • University of Alexandria, Egypt
  • University of Córdoba, Spain
  • University of Padua, Italy
  • International University of Rabat, Morocco

Steering and editorial committee 

  • Leila AMMAR, architect, Professor at ENAU-UCAR, researcher at LAAM 
  • Narjes BEN ABDELGHANI, architect, Senior Lecturer at ENAU-UCAR, researcher at LAAM
  • Alia SELLAMI, architect, Lecturer at ENAU-UCAR, researcher at LarPA-ERA
  • Imen LANDOULSI, urban architect at Atmosphères, lecturer at ENAU-UCAR, researcher at LarPA-ERA
  • Salma GHARBI, architect, lecturer at ISTEUB-UCAR, researcher at LarPA-ERA

Scientific Committee

(members listed in alphabetical order)

  • Beya ABIDI, University of La Manouba, LAAM (TU)
  • Georges ARBID, Arab Center for Architecture (LB)
  • Leila AMMAR, Leila AMMAR, architect, Professor at ENAU-UCAR, researcher at LAAM, conference chair, University of La Manouba, LAAM (TU)
  • Imane BENNANI, International University of Rabat (MA)
  • Narjes BEN ABDELGHANI, Narjes BEN ABDELGHANI, architect, Senior Lecturer at ENAU-UCAR, researcher at LAAM, Scientific Coordinator, University of La Manouba, LAAM (TU)
  • Mohamed-Ali BERHOUMA, University of Carthage, ISBAN (TU)
  • Marc BREVILGIERI, EHSS (CH), Cresson Grenoble (FR)
  • Catherine COMPAIN-GAJAC, DOCOMOMO (FR)
  • Maria DA CONCEIÇÃO LOPES, University of Coimbra (PT)
  • Ahmed EL BAHI, University of La Manouba, LAAM (TU)
  • Carmen GONZALEZ, University of Córdoba
  • Mohamed Sadok GUELLOUZ, University of Monastir, LESTE (TU)
  • Fakher KHARRAT, University of Carthage, LarPAA/ERA (TU)
  • Imen LANDOULSI, University of Carthage, LarPAA/ERA (TU)
  • Sihem NAJAR, University of La Manouba, LTMC (TU)
  • Philippe RHAM, ENSA Versailles (FR)
  • Alia SELLAMI, University of Carthage, LarPAA/ERA (TU)
  • Ahmed SAADAOUI, University of La Manouba, LAAM (TU)
  • Paola ZANOVELLO, University of Padua (IT)
  • Yadh ZAHAR, University of Carthage, VDEC (TU)

Organizing Committee 

(members listed in alphabetical order)

  • Samia AMMAR, UCAR – ENAU, UMA – LAAM   
  • Ahlem BEN ABDESSALEM, UT – ISBAT, UMA – LAAM   
  • Narjes Ben Abdelghani, UCAR – ENAU, UMA – LAAM   
  • Esmahen BEN MOUSSA, UT – ISMPT, UMA – LAAM
  • Chiraz CHTARA, UCAR – ENAU, LarPA/ERA
  • Salma GHARBI, UCAR- ISTEUB/ENAU, LarPA/ERA
  • Asma GUEDRIA, UCAR- ISTEUB/ENAU, LarPA/ PAE3C
  • Nour El Houda JOUINI – UCAR-ENAU, LarPA/ PAE3C
  • Imen LANDOULSI, UCAR – ENAU, LarPA/ERA
  • Alia SELLAMI, UCAR – ENAU, LarPA/ERA
  • Afef TRABELSI, UMA – ISAMM, LAAM
  • Imène ZAAFRANE, UCAR – ENAU, VDEC 

Graphic design and visual communication

  • Feriel Mesbah, ENAU student
  • Yosr Ammar, ENAU student

INFO & CONTACT: cpmedtunisie@gmail.com

https://cpmed.sciencesconf.org

Special mention

The development of this call for proposals benefited from the valuable contributions of Faten HUSSEIN (ENAU – UCAR, LarPA) and Imen REGAYA (ENAU – UCAR, VDEC), who supported the initial stages of the project's implementation.

References

Abdulac, S. (2011). Les maisons à patio: continuités historiques, adaptation bioclimatiques et morphologies urbaines.

Ammar, L. (1899/2010). Histoire de l'Architecture en Tunisie de l'antiquité à nos jours. CPU.

Ben Abdelghani, N., & Ammar , L. (2018). Maisons à cour et logements de recasement pour les populations musulmanes pendant la reconstruction 1943-1955. Al-Sabîl Revue d' Archéologie et d'Architecture Maghrébines, 5.

Bonicco-Donato, C. (2019). Heidegger et la question de l'habiter: une philosophie de l'architecture . Marseille.

Catalogue l'Art Rue). (2025, 07 01). Récupéré sur L'Art Rue: https://lartrue.org/fr/recherche?term=catalogue

Demerdash, N., & Gharbi , S. (2025 ). Rebuilding form modern living: architectural typologies and reconstruction in postwar Tunisia . The journal of North African Studies , 1-34.

Fathy, H. (1970/1999). Construire avec le peuple, Histoire d'un village d'Egypte: Gourna. Sindbad Actes Sud.

Frini, S., & Rahm, P. (2025). 4°celcius entre toi et moi. Biennale d'Architecture et de paysage d'Ile-de-France.

Heidegger, M. (1951). Bâtir, habiter, penser. Dramstadt.

Landoulsi, I. (2019). Thèse de doctorat, ENAU Tunis.

Landoulsi, I. (2021). L'âme de Nefta, une perception sensible du bien-être en contexte oasien. Dans M. Breviglieri, N. Gamal Said , & D. Goeury, Résonances oasiennes. MétisPresses.

Lucan, J. (2023). Habiter ville et architecture. EPFL Press.

Morain, O. (2023). Récupéré sur https://www.franceinfo.fr/culture/arts-expos/architecture/a-montpellier-le-festival-architectures-vives-imagine-un-monde-sacre_5892562.html

Paquot, T. (2020). Demeure terrestre: enquête vagabonde sur l'habiter . Paris : Terre Urbaine .

Pinson, D. (2010). La théorie au risque de la doctrine dans le Mouvement moderne, ou comment Sert et Ecochard ont fait vivre la première contre la seconde. Les Cahiers d'EMAM, 20, 23-31.

Rahm, P. (2023). Climatic architecture . New York, Barcelona : Actar Publishers.

Rapoport, R. (1972). Pour une anthropologie de la maison . Paris : Dunod. Collection de l'urbanisme .

Rosa, H. (2018). Résonance: une sociologie de la relation au monde. La Découverte .

Sellami, A. (2021). La porosité au fondement de l'ambiance oasienne. Dans M. Breviglieri, Gamal Said, Noha , & D. Goeury, Résonnances oasiennes (pp. 75-94). MétisPresse.

Thyssen, X. (1983). Des manières d'habiter dans le sahel tunisien . Paris : Ed. CNRS.

Places

  • Association de Sauvegarde de la Médina de Tunis - 24 rue du Tribunal, Dar Lasram-ASMn la médina de Tunis
    Tunis, Tunisia (1006)

Event attendance modalities

Full on-site event


Date(s)

  • Monday, September 01, 2025

Keywords

  • cour, patio, méditérannée, habitat, architecture, archéologie, climat, ambiance, expérience, phénoménologie, usage, réinvention

Contact(s)

  • Salma GHARBI
    courriel : salma [dot] gharbi [at] enau [dot] ucar [dot] tn
  • Narjes BEN ABDELGHANI
    courriel : narjesab [at] yahoo [dot] fr

Reference Urls

Information source

  • Salma GHARBI
    courriel : salma [dot] gharbi [at] enau [dot] ucar [dot] tn

License

CC0-1.0 This announcement is licensed under the terms of Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal.

To cite this announcement

« Courtyards and patios in the Mediterranean », Call for papers, Calenda, Published on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, https://doi.org/10.58079/14esh

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