Spatial structure of a courtyard-style settlement originating from a Buddhist monastery: A study of a cooperative space management system in an old city area of Patan, part 1

Abstract

In this paper, the spatial characteristics of a courtyard-style settlement (Bahā/Bahī, originating from Buddhist Monasteries) are illustrated. First, the transition process of the Bahā/Bahī from a place of learning for celibate monks to an ordinary residence for non-celibate monks is clarified. Second, a framework is developed to analyze the spatial structures of the present Bahā/Bahī, which was extracted from the spatial structure of typical Bahā/Bahī by examining the relationship between the courtyard's surrounding buildings and its accessibility. Lastly, the framework is applied to 65 exemplars of Bahā/Bahī in the old city area of Patan. As a result, 12 types of spatial structures were discovered, and the characteristics of the major types were determined.