Behind every crowded block in a dense urban district there is a forgotten inner courtyard waiting to breathe. We reclaim those tight, shaded, often paved-over spaces and turn them into cool, planted, genuinely usable gardens. Working with residents, building owners, and co-ownership councils, we translate cramped light wells and hard grey yards into layered green rooms full of foliage, texture, and quiet. The goal is not decoration for its own sake, but real relief from heat, hard surfaces, and the pressure of city living pressed against every façade.
Our studio treats the inner courtyard as a small but powerful piece of urban infrastructure. Thoughtful planting cools the air, permeable ground lets rain soak away instead of pooling, and a well-composed garden invites neighbours to gather rather than hurry past. From first sketch to the last watering schedule, we shape courtyards that stay beautiful through the seasons, support pollinators, and give people at the centre of the block a green place that finally feels like their own.
Why It Matters
Dense masonry stores heat and radiates it long after sunset. Layered planting, shade trees, and living ground release moisture and break that cycle, turning a stifling paved well into the coolest, most breathable pocket of the entire building.
By replacing sealed slabs with permeable ground and planted beds, courtyards absorb storm runoff on site. Water feeds the garden rather than overloading drains, easing pressure on ageing infrastructure and keeping thresholds and cellars drier.
A green courtyard becomes a calm extension of every apartment: a place to read, let children play, or meet a neighbour. It quietly rebuilds the social life of the block around something living and shared.
What We Do
We guide every courtyard through a complete journey: understanding the site and the people around it, designing a planting scheme suited to shade and tight access, engineering the ground so water behaves, and caring for the garden as it matures. Each stage is handled by our own team so nothing is lost between promise and result.
Who We Are
We are a Paris studio built around one idea: the dense city already holds room for nature, tucked inside its courtyards. Instead of chasing large open sites, we specialise in the awkward, overlooked spaces at the centre of the block, where limited light and difficult access scare off conventional landscaping.
Our team blends horticulture, ecological design, and patient craft. We know which species flourish in shade and reflected heat, how to build soil where there is barely any, and how to bring materials through a stairwell without disruption. Every courtyard is shaped with the residents who live around it, so the result reflects real daily use.
The reward is a network of small green sanctuaries, cooling their neighbourhoods, sheltering wildlife, and giving the heart of each building back to the people who share it.
Read our full story →Get in Touch
Tell us about the courtyard at the centre of your building and the people who share it. We will help you picture what it could become.
Address: 9 Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis, 75010 Paris, France
Phone: +33 1 89 71 48 62
Email: tower-eco-courtyard@gmx.com