September, 1917 
53 
THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE PATIO PLAN 
An Architectural Feature Used in California and Adaptable to 
Almost Any Climate by the Use of Artificial Heat 
ESTHER MATSON 
■ 
. a i 
M UCH as we pride ourselves on perceiving the 
goodliness of outdoor living, it is strange how 
slow we are to seize upon the advantages of¬ 
fered by the patio plan. 
“Patio” in the Spanish means literally “open to the 
sky.” And what suggestiveness lies therein! A shel¬ 
tered space in the dwelling, secluded from the outside 
world either by four walls of the house itself or by 
the house plus an arrangement of its dependent build¬ 
ings,—but absolutely open to the heavens! By rights, 
moreover, the real patio is entered through a roman¬ 
tic “reja” or iron-grilled gateway, growing plants 
lending grace within, while possibly as the very center 
of interest there gleams a tiny pool or fountain. 
For a climate such as that of southern 
California, such a patio plan may be the 
perfect way of building,—but not for the 
bewildering conditions in which most of 
us exist. And yet, is this objection quite 
valid? Is it not really worth our while 
to see if certain commonsense adaptations 
of the patio plan might not be emi¬ 
nently practical in all sorts and condi¬ 
tions of climates? 
An Adaptable Scheme 
It might be somewhat difficult to carry 
out the plan in its real significance in 
the extremely small house, where strict 
economy requires compactness, one un¬ 
broken roof, a lone chimney and but one 
stair. Yet even in such instances a re¬ 
flection or echo of the patio plan might 
come within the bounds of possibility. 
On the upper floor of the very small 
house a sheltered spot might well be laid 
open to the sky and might even be em¬ 
bellished with a simple bird bath or a 
little pool that will mirror the stars at 
night and splash contentedly by day. 
Though this would not correspond 
with absolute exactness to the real patio 
it would have much to recommend it, 
especially when contrasted with the dark, 
heavily-roofed upper porches which are 
found over and again in the little houses 
and which not only fail to get all the 
sunshine that is their own due, but con¬ 
trive to cut off the rays which ought to 
reach into the room behind. 
But where there is a modicum of afflu¬ 
ence it is hard to imagine anything 
pleasanter than the chance afforded of 
working out a patio. 
In the first place, to build your home 
about a patio is, in a manner, to build 
it around a bit of garden. It is some¬ 
thing like gathering up the most intimate 
and lovable part of your garden into your 
arms. It is bringing Nature home to 
your inmost heart. 
Especially is this an ideal plan for the 
country seat or for the bungalow. We 
used to think, indeed, that under such 
conditions the nucleus of these structures 
ought inevitably to be a great central 
chimney with open-throated fireplace. We begin now 
to wonder whether the more fitting modern nucleus 
might not be a fountained and flowery court! As a 
matter of historic fact, the ancient homes of Greece 
and Rome were built around courts, and so, forsooth, 
the new way has the authority of the most classic and 
venerable custom! And again there is no law against 
possessing both the court and the chimneyplace. One 
may even, if he so wishes, have the fireplace open 
directly to the court. 
Nor is it a small thing in its favor that the court is 
full of suggestion and reminiscence. When we con¬ 
sider how many are the incentives to restlessness in 
this modernity of ours it goes without saying that 
pool or rock garden can be made the focal point of inter¬ 
est in the patio 
every opportunity of winning more poise should be 
cultivated. And there is no doubting it; the patio 
brings a hint of romance into our everyday life and 
tempts us to give ourselves over to the spell of quiet 
and meditative moods. 
Wherefore it would be a great gain if we were to 
get in the way of adapting the patio plan and its 
modifications not merely to the obviously appropriate 
summer home, but also to the town house and to the 
all-year residence. . What, to be sure, is to hinder 
us—unless it be our lack of initiative—from fitting the 
patio for the cold weather with a glass roof? Surely 
we might do worse than plan to make one and the 
same space in the house serve in summer for the open 
or out-of-door room, and in winter for 
the sun parlor. 
Utopian? No, far from it when you 
consider to what perfection the manu¬ 
facture of glass has been brought and 
when you remember that the warmth of 
the sun, even in winter, is computed to 
be a very positive matter. And besides, 
this warmth may be supplemented as de¬ 
sired by an extension of the artificial 
heating pipes from the house proper. A 
well designed heating system is quite 
capable of taking care of this extra 
space adequately. 
The Romance of It 
It is disappointing to note how few 
of the famous California homes possess 
this loveworthy feature. Indeed it seems 
almost unbelievable how comparatively 
few of the builders have realized the 
beauty and the essential value of the 
patio plan. It is true the Exposition 
planners recognized its worth, and they 
created courts whose renown took the 
world by storm. But the trouble is that 
we are prone to let such examples slip 
by as applicable merely to monumental 
architecture. We need to realize that the 
possibilities of the patio plan are brimful 
of interest and beauty for individual 
home use. 
Yes, it is well worth while for us to 
study how we may range our rooms and 
suites of rooms around an open, fragrant 
court. True, such a space may be “of 
the Grand Manner,” girt round about 
with stately columns, and bedecked with 
floral rarities precious as gems. Or it 
may be utterly simple and intimate. 
After all, what matters the manner of it. 
For in a patio,—if only it have green and 
blossomy things growing, with perhaps a 
placid pool the better to reflect the sky—• 
it is possible as nowhere else in the world 
for a home lover to feel an intimacy with 
Nature. 
The illustrations on this page show a 
few examples of what has been done, 
and are suggestive of a variety of plans 
adaptable, with slight modifications, to 
other situations. 
an all-year room 
It can serve for 
•when glassed in 
overhead 
It may be left 
open to the sky 
or covered with 
awnings 
A garden is es¬ 
sential in mak¬ 
ing the patio 
successful 
