A modest-looking single-family home in San Antonio's historic Lavaca neighborhood conceals an innovative architectural solution that allows urban residents to maintain the privacy they once enjoyed in suburban settings. The 1,900-square-foot residence, designed by architect Mary English for her sister Susan and family, incorporates three interior courtyards that provide private outdoor spaces while maximizing the benefits of city living.
Susan and her family relocated to the Lavaca neighborhood specifically to take advantage of easy biking access to San Antonio's River Walk, museums, and parks. However, they were concerned about sacrificing the private backyard space they had enjoyed at their previous suburban home. The solution came through an unexpected architectural approach that transforms the traditional concept of outdoor living spaces.
The home's unique design emerged from both practical constraints and cultural influences. Co-architect Xavier Vendrell, originally from Barcelona, brought his expertise in courtyard design traditions to address the specific challenges of the narrow and deep lots characteristic of the historic Lavaca neighborhood. "The traditional typology of the neighborhood results in little opportunity for a relationship between interior and exterior," English explained. The architects leveraged the lot's depth by stretching the home across it, creating space for the three courtyards while also including a front porch to meet the neighborhood's historic design requirements.
From the street, the home appears unremarkable, with only the varying orientations of its rooflines hinting at the innovative interior layout. Upon entering through the solid wooden front door, visitors encounter the first courtyard, designed as an outdoor foyer with bicycle storage space. A second wooden door then leads into the residence's interior, revealing the home's long lines and open floor plan. "This second door accesses the interior of the house with courtyards, crossed and diagonal views, and transparencies," English noted.
The two central interior courtyards serve as the heart of the home's design philosophy. Surrounded by the open kitchen, dining room, and living room, with bedrooms discretely tucked away, these courtyards are framed by large sliding glass doors and function as outdoor rooms. The architects made deliberate material choices to emphasize this indoor-outdoor relationship. "The perimeter walls are white stucco so they can read as a continuation of the interior white walls," English said. "The gray gravel on the courtyard floor reads as a continuation of the concrete floors on the interior. All the material choices were based on the courtyards as rooms of the house."
Beyond their aesthetic and spatial contributions, the courtyards serve important functional purposes in San Antonio's climate. Their southeast orientation maximizes natural light during morning hours, while their narrow dimensions and strategic placement keep them shaded during much of the afternoon. Each courtyard features a paloverde tree that provides additional cooling and visual appeal. "Courtyards are a good solution for the climate in San Antonio," English observed. "They serve as collectors of cool air."
The passive cooling system operates through natural air circulation patterns. "At night the temperature of the roof cools and the cooled air moves down the slope into the courtyards," English explained. "The large sliding doors and ceiling fans draw the cool air into the heart of the house." This design reduces the home's reliance on mechanical cooling systems while maintaining comfortable interior temperatures.
Between the two main courtyards, the architects created a screened porch that further enhances the indoor-outdoor living experience. This transitional space allows the family to enjoy outdoor conditions while remaining protected from insects and weather, extending the usable seasons for outdoor activities.
The project demonstrates how thoughtful architectural design can address the common urban challenge of maintaining privacy and access to outdoor space. Rather than accepting the typical trade-offs of city living, the architects created a solution that actually provides three distinct outdoor experiences within the confines of a narrow urban lot. For Susan and her family, the design successfully preserves the outdoor lifestyle they valued from their suburban years while enabling them to fully embrace the cultural and recreational opportunities of urban San Antonio living.
