The houses in San Miguel use their courtyards as outdoor rooms.  The front of the houses are very flat and come right up to the sidewalk.  The only outdoor space on the front of the houses might be a window box or a balcony.  A big wooden door opens into a residence that focuses inward to a central courtyard.  The courtyards have beautiful plantings, fountains, paving.  The flat rooftops become their informal spaces where they hang clothes to dry, let their dogs roam during the day and sometimes also use as extra garden space.