- Project: Casa do Patio
- Architect: Leo Romano
- Location: Afghanistan, Goiânia
- Year: 2013
- Photography: Edgard César
Courtyard-Driven Living in Modern Brazilian Form
Set in the urban fabric of Goiânia, the Casa do Pátio by Brazilian architect Leo Romano proposes a residence defined by openness, clarity and a strong connection to an inner courtyard. At its heart lies the idea of the pátio — the courtyard as organiser of space, light and movement. The house draws from modern Brazilian architecture’s legacy of straight lines and transparent volumes, yet it also tailors its gestures to the daily life of a family.
From the street, the façade presents a composed and restrained composition of volumes. It conceals the activities of the household, while folding gently into the landscape of the lot. Inside, the plan opens to the courtyard, where living, dining and exterior merge. In this way the architecture becomes less about enclosure and more about transition—between inside and outside, between public view and private retreat.
Site Strategy & Spatial Organsation
The home is configured around a central axis: the courtyard. Rather than layout rooms strictly in series or hierarchy, the design emphasises permeability—visual, physical and climatic. The courtyard becomes the anchor from which all zones radiate.
Public spaces—living room, dining area, kitchen—face the courtyard, with large sliding glass walls that dissolve boundaries and invite daylight and ventilation. Private zones (bedrooms, bathrooms) are set back or shielded, ensuring calm and privacy. Circulation becomes an experience of movement through light and shadow, guided by the courtyard’s presence.
Materials, Atmosphere & Detail
In the Casa do Pátio, materials are used with economy and precision. The volumes are articulated with clean planes, generous glazing, and restrained finishes. Timber flooring and joinery bring warmth, while white walls and large openings reinforce serenity and openness. The courtyard surface is paved and planted, offering a tactile contrast of stone, greenery and void.
Daylight filters through the courtyard, creating changing atmospheres across the day: soft morning light, strong midday brightness, and soothing dusk shadows. Interior and exterior surfaces reflect and absorb light differently, giving the architecture a rich experiential depth despite its apparent simplicity.
Living, Nature & Everyday Quality
One of the most compelling aspects of Casa do Pátio is its attention to everyday comfort. The courtyard not only frames views and brings light—it also becomes a climatic mediator, enabling cross-ventilation and offering a sheltered outdoor zone for family life. Lounging by the pool, dining on the terrace, watching the sky through the open volume—all become part of the design’s promise.
The design avoids flamboyance in favour of subtle refinement. It emphasises the human scale, the domestic rhythm, and the capacity of architecture to enrich daily living rather than dominate it. In this sense, the house stands as an antidote to excess—a purposeful composition of calm, transparency and place.
Significance & Architectural Insight
Casa do Pátio is an instructive example of how the courtyard typology remains relevant in contemporary Brazilian architecture. Leo Romano revisits this archetype with precision: rather than replicating vernacular forms, the design translates their essence—connection to nature, light, shadow—into a modern language.
For designers and architects, this project offers a few key take-aways:
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Organise a house around a meaningful void (courtyard) that becomes the heart of domestic life.
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Use transparency and volume shifts to create a sense of openness without sacrificing privacy.
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Employ materials and daylight to craft atmosphere rather than only rely on form or ornament.
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Design indoor-outdoor relationships deliberately—not as an afterthought, but as the foundational strategy.
In the Casa do Pátio, Leo Romano crafted a dwelling that is at once refined and relaxed, sculptural yet welcoming. The architecture acknowledges its context and inhabitants, giving them a home that respects climate, site and living. The courtyard becomes more than a design element—it becomes a way of life.
For readers interested in modern Brazilian residences, courtyard housing, or light-filled living, this project offers compelling inspiration: architecture that listens before it speaks—a home shaped by everyday calm and refined gesture.
