Ownership and Uses of Courtyard Space in Courtyard Style Settlement—A Study on Co-Operative Space Management System in Old City Area of Patan Part 2

Abstract

This study investigates the characteristics of courtyards as communal spaces within the courtyard-style settlements of Patan City, Nepal, through an examination of ownership and usage. A block with three interconnected Buddhist monastery courtyards—Ilānanī, Sasunanī, and Kwābahā—was selected. Fieldwork included legal document analysis, stakeholder interviews, and full-day observations to identify usage and governance patterns. Ilānanī and Sasunanī are public land owned by the government, while Kwābahā is privately owned by its Saṃgha organization. The courtyards function differently: Ilānanī supports residential life, religious activity, tourism, commerce, and transit; Sasunanī is mainly residential and communal; Kwābahā serves as a religious and touristic centre, houses the priest's family, and provides a public resting space. These findings highlight the evolution of courtyard spaces in historic Patan into multifunctional communal areas. Despite differences in ownership, all three continue to serve as shared environments, balancing traditional religious and residential roles with new socio-cultural functions shaped by urban transformation.