Outdoor rooms

 Architects are notorious for their jargon, to the extent that they have created a whole language as a way of persuading their clients that something quite ordinary is now very special in their design. They are also known for using this esoteric language to pull one over other members of the design and construction team! However, in the case of "outdoor room", this is maybe justified, in that we are referring not just to any outdoor area, but one that has distinct ways of separating it from the rest of the outdoor realm.

This is often done, at the most basic, by changing the floor surface - paving in a sea of grass or ground cover being a typical strategy. But to "read" as an outdoor room, more intervention is needed, especially in the vertical dimension. This could be achieved by a change in level, whether set higher than the surrounding garden, or a sunken area, often dictated by the relationship to the indoor spaces adjoining.

This deck is at a higher level from the garden and has a change in material for the floor

The deck in the photo also has a low wall on one side, giving even more definition to the space, and creating a visual foreground to the view beyond, Placemaking is enhanced by a couple of other features - a stone hearth and its chimney for outdoor cooking, the low hedge that lines up with the level of the deck floor, creating a subtle visual barrier without interrupting the view. The placement of outdoor furniture also serves to give this sense of a room: arranged very much as one would for an indoor space.

Another important aspect for an outdoor space to read as a room, is the relationship to the indoor spaces of the dwelling. This is often achieved through the use of glazed doors, providing both a visual and physical link between in and out.

Large glazed sliding doors between the living room and outdoor living space

The type of doors can give a quite different feel to this relationship - from a very structured definition of indoor and outdoor, but with the visual link, through to an almost complete dissolution of the boundary between, through the use of glazed sliding doors with minimal frames. 

Glazed doors with substantial wooden frames give a sense of separation between in and out

The much more visually robust wooden frames in this photo, with hinged rather than sliding doors, enhance this sense of separation, while still allowing the visual linkage. This very narrow balcony still carries the sense of an outdoor room, through the subtle means of a low solid upstand in the same stone as the floor finish, and the overhanging roof canopy to give a feeling of enclosure.

Outdoor rooms are particularly a feature of warmer climates, whether the completely enclosed courtyards of North Africa and the European Mediterranean, or the more loosely defined spaces found in most architectures of the rest of Africa. In temperate climates, these spaces can be used for many months of the year, especially if they have some form of shading, whether a permanent and solid roof, adjustable louvres, or a more seasonal sun umbrella. The climate is not so harsh (hot or cold) as to damage outdoor furniture, and even in winter, a space with a sunny aspect can be a very pleasant change from sitting indoors.

A louvred roof makes for an ideal space all year round

This said, one does need to be a bit careful in the choice of outdoor furniture - timber should either be treated with outdoor grade varnish or paint, and solid wood is essential, as any kind of veneer on particle-board is very vulnerable to the elements. For timber, one also needs to factor in the annual maintenance, and in addition, a weatherproof cover is a great idea. Metal furniture is a good choice, but this should also be finished with outdoor-grade paint, and checked regularly to prevent rusting. 

An outdoor room is a huge boon to one's dwelling, whether an extra outdoor entertainment space that can double the amenity of one's reception areas, or whether a tiny space for sitting and reading in the fresh air.

A hanging chair in a balcony off a study, sheltered from sun and wind

 
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