All inner-city housing has the difficulty of balancing the scale and monumentality expected by the urban streetscape with the privacy and domesticity of households. A strong typology was required for such a prominent location, one that could be easily comprehended by both the public and the residents. We wanted a minimal design that established very clear public and private signals while also having enough presence to sustain the metropolitan bustle. As a result, the houses were built around an open courtyard, creating a hollow square. This allowed for the creation of a huge planted garden as a common place.