BCAB #1046 - Apartment Building Courtyard as Open Space, Sentence 3.4.4.1.(8)

Last updated on March 24, 2016

February 6 , 1989

BCAB #1046

Re: Apartment Building Courtyard as Open Space, Sentence 3.4.4.1.(8)

With reference to your letter of December 13, 1988 regarding the concept of what is referred to as an open courtyard.

The problem appears to centre on the acceptability or non-acceptability of the courtyard as "outdoors", to facilitate the application of Sentence 3.4.4.1.(8) to passageways. To avoid becoming involved in semantics, we feel it preferable for us, at this stage, to deal only with what we perceive to be the key point. From the information provided, we do not consider the central courtyard to be an exterior open space as envisaged in the definition of "exit". Furthermore, your design does not appear to permit the application of Sentence 3.4.4.1.(8), as the open walkways would not qualify as exterior passageways.

J.C. Currie, Chair