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Detail of the fountain and the small chapel found in many patios
A lesson in vernacular
architecture
In a world dominated by speed, haste, and
standardisation, Andalusian patio houses ser-
ve as a reminder that another way of living is
possible. A way that needs no air conditioners,
no large windows, no expensive technology or
unnecessary resources. Just thick walls, wise
orientation, well-sought shade, plants, water,
and the common sense of those who know
their surroundings. A contained space whe-
re beauty is born of daily use, and harmony
springs from necessity, not whim.
Because the patio is not just an architectural
structure—it is a way of looking at the world
from within, of creating community, of making
emptiness a quiet, everyday luxury. Of unders-
tanding light not as mere decoration, but as a
living and essential substance. That is why, in
Córdoba and throughout Andalusia, the patio
remains the heart of the house and the soul of
a culture. As the famous poet D. Antonio Ma-
chado once said… "Mi infancia son recuerdos
de un patio de Sevilla y un huerto claro donde
madura el limonero"
DESTINATIONS & ARCHITECTURE
Whitewashing the walls to protect homes from the heat
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