For our next lookbook, we've selected ten courtyards and enclosed outdoor spaces where the designers have created inviting places to sit and relax.
Courtyards are areas that are enclosed by walls yet open to the sky. They allow natural light and fresh air to enter buildings with deep plans and can also serve as gardens or patios if designed well.
These ten projects have made the most of these outdoor spaces to create calm seating areas to hang out in.
This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series feature plant-filled interiors, lush rooftop gardens and spaces for outdoor dining.

Casa Octavia in Mexico City, Mexico, by PPAA
Casa Octavia, a hotel opened by a fashion brand in Mexico City, has a gravel-lined outdoor space down one side. A polished concrete bench that doubles as a fern-filled planter provide a place to sit with your back against the wall and catch the sun. Smooth wooden stools provide additional seating for groups to gather and chat.
Find out more about Casa Octavia

House for a Ceramic Designer in Ljubljana, Slovenia, by Arhitektura d.o.o
Angular black ceramic sculptures made by the occupant decorate this courtyard at the centre of a house and studio built for a ceramicist living in Ljubljana.
A looping chair by Zett made of fibre cement matches the concrete walls and floors and provides another sculptural element when not in use. White curtains can be used to screen off...