A truly sustainable BUILDING must suit both the local environment and be constructed from materials from the local environment. It should also be adaptable and optimally suited to its inhabitants.
   An integral part of the proposed Tuvaluan village layout is the arrangement of Malea or courtyards which can accommodate up to about 40 people. This is a new typology for the Tuvalu people and was developed in consultation with Tuvaluan graduate architect Ben Kofe.
   At present, the only form of traditional courtyard exists where two entire villages form a central gathering space. This new approach uses the idea of a shared central communal space but reduces the scale to the that of an extended family (the average Tuvaluan household is 6 people).
   From a social perspective, the courtyard layout should suit the already established community-orientated lifestyles of the Tuvaluan people.
The great advantage of the courtyard design is that shared kitchens, workshops, laundries, nurseries and bathrooms dramatically reduces the amount of construction required in the village's establishment.
   The individual buildings in the courtyard should be loosely arranged to best suit the residents. However, it is expected that the kitchen is best centrally located and the workshops could be positioned along a courtyard boundary and shared with the neighbouring courtyard. Shared bathroom and laundry facilities are best positioned behind the workshop in a garden setting, offering maximum privacy from the living quarters.