Rethinking Courtyard is a Housing+ project in Talas that works like a bridge between the historic Old Talas route and the everyday life of the city today. From the beginning I wanted it to behave more like a lived edge something that can be entered, crossed, and even pulls you inside it . That’s why the project starts with a clear invitation from the street with a amphitheatre like stairs leading into the cortyard and it gradually shifts into more private residential areas through a calm, readable sequence. 

The idea is grounded around a sherbet tasting experience paired with an aktar (herbalist) identity. I chose this as a real generator for space and atmosphere. On the ground floor,aktar and outside tasting areas sit next and on top of it a workshop and a closed tasting space follows. These spaces are meant to feel approachable for people passing by, especially those coming from Old Talas. As you move out into the project, the program becomes quieter and more resident-oriented, so the building supports interaction without demanding it. 

I also rethought the courtyard itself. Instead of one large void, I worked with a system of smaller gathering pockets like micro-courtyards, shaded pauses that act like social rooms. Some are for quick encounters, some for lingering, and some simply for breathing space. Privacy is protected through layered access and filtered visibility, so residents can stay connected to the shared life of the building without losing comfort. 

Overall, the project is my attempt to reinterpret Talas’ courtyard culture in a contemporary way. Through taste, scent, and shared routines, I aim to create a place that draws people in from the old fabric and carries them toward housing through a soft social gradient street to shared space to home.