A Village Within a Village: The Courtyards of Capella Cottages

At the heart of Capella Cottages lies something truly special — not just homes but a lifestyle woven through five intimate residential courtyards and one vibrant community café hub. Each home is oriented inward, facing these shared open-air spaces, reinforcing the belief that life is richer when lived in connection.

Designed as extensions of the home—like outdoor family rooms, each courtyard has its own identity, purpose, and mood. Together, they form the social and spiritual core of the community, encouraging daily interaction, rest, joy, and creativity.

The Oasis Courtyard

A Modern Retreat at the Heart of Capella Cottages

At the center of every great community is a space that draws people in to relax, connect, and reflect. At Capella Cottages, that place is the Oasis Courtyard, a beautifully layered landscape that blends structure, serenity, and soul into one harmonious gathering place.  Designed to feel like an outdoor extension of the home, the Oasis Courtyard is more than just a green space — it’s a multi-level, multi-functional retreat where residents of all ages can unwind, meet up, and feel grounded.

Key Features of the Oasis Courtyard:

  • 🪵 Central Firepit Lounge
    Anchoring the courtyard is a modern circular fire pit surrounded by         built-in stone seating and Adirondack-style chairs. It’s a place for literal and social warmth, where neighbors can gather in the evenings to share stories or enjoy the quiet crackle of the flames under the stars.
  • 🌿 Lush Landscaping & Shade Trees
    The courtyard lives up to its name, with a landscape that feels like a true oasis.         Native plants, flowering shrubs, and tall shade trees create a calming, restorative atmosphere, offering natural beauty and seasonal interest all year round.
  • 🪑 Hanging Swings & Relaxation Zones
    Thoughtfully placed         modern metal hanging swings and cozy seating pockets add to the courtyard’s casual elegance. These unique elements invite residents to slow down, curl up with a book, or enjoy a gentle sway in the breeze.
  • 🧱 Multi-Level Terracing & Steps That Double as Seating
    Terraced stonework and curved walkways give the space visual interest and flow, while the         steps serve as additional seating during social events or informal gatherings. Every inch is designed to support flexibility, movement, and community.
  • 🧘 Designed for Mindfulness & Connection
    Whether you're sipping your morning coffee, hosting friends around the fire, or simply strolling through on a sunny afternoon, the Oasis Courtyard offers a sense of tranquility that enhances your day without requiring an agenda.


A Space That Brings People Together — Naturally

In alignment with Capella Cottages' Blue Zone-inspired philosophy, the Oasis Courtyard supports key wellness principles — including natural movement, social connection, downshifting, and outdoor engagement. It offers a daily invitation to step outside, breathe deeply, and connect with nature, neighbors, and yourself.  At Capella Cottages, community is not just built — it’s cultivated. The Oasis Courtyard is a shining example of how design can create the conditions for better living, not just for now, but for the long term.

The Zen Garden Courtyard

A Center for Stillness, Strength, and Renewal

At Capella Cottages, wellness is not just a goal — it’s built into every step, path, and space. Nowhere is that more evident than in the Zen Garden Courtyard— a beautifully minimal, nature-rich environment that encourages relaxation, movement, and mental clarity.

The Zen Garden is a dynamic wellness zone at the crossroads of peaceful retreat and functional flexibility. Here, residents can begin the day with sunrise stretches, meet neighbors for a mid-morning walk, or decompress in the evening light. It’s a space that invites you to pause, breathe, and return to center.

Key Features of the Zen Garden Courtyard:

  • 🧘 Multi-Use Movement Deck & Pavilion
    The courtyard features a         raised stone deck beneath a modern metal trellis, which serves as a flexible zone for yoga, tai chi, stretching, or outdoor classes. Framed with greenery and accessible from all sides, it becomes a focal point for individual wellness and group activities.
  • 🏋️ Open-Air Fitness Integration
    Adjacent to the deck,         outdoor gym equipment is subtly integrated under the trellis, allowing for strength-building and low-impact exercise in an inspiring, natural setting. This inclusion supports the Blue Zone principle of “natural movement,” making fitness part of everyday life.
  • 🌱 Soft Landscaping with Defined Paths
    The Zen Garden’s walking trails, built from decomposed granite and stone pavers, curve gently through         native and ornamental plantings. This landscaping strategy encourages quiet movement and reinforces a grounded sensory experience.
  • 🪑 Meditation Bench & Quiet Seating Zones
    Natural wood benches and sculptural seating pods placed throughout the garden invite reflection, reading, or casual conversation. The space supports solitude and stillness, offering residents a calm alternative to more socially active courtyards.
  • 🔲 Simple Geometry, Elevated Design
    True to its name, the Zen Garden emphasizes         clean lines, open views, and a balance of hardscape and softscape. Its design creates a visual rhythm that mirrors the tranquility of traditional Japanese gardens, with a contemporary touch.
  • 🌿 Flourishing Perimeter Planting
    Around the outer edges, layered greenery and flowering shrubs serve as a         natural screen and sensory buffer, gently separating the Zen Garden from surrounding homes and walkways. Residents are immersed in nature, yet steps away from their front doors.



A Daily Invitation to Reconnect

The Zen Garden Courtyard is more than a wellness amenity — it’s a quiet revolution in how community space can support body, mind, and spirit. Whether used for breathwork, quick squats, or simply as a place to sit and listen to birdsong, the space encourages intentional moments of self-care woven into daily life.

It is a prime expression of Capella Cottages' mission: to create places where wellness happens organically, not by schedule, but by design.

The Gastro Terrace

Where Food Builds Community

In Blue Zone communities across the globe, food is more than fuel—it’s culture, connection, and ritual. That philosophy comes to life at Capella Cottages' Gastro Terrace Courtyard, a one-of-a-kind outdoor kitchen and gathering space designed to nourish both body and soul.

Built around the concept of shared meals, seasonal ingredients, and joyful gatherings, the Gastro Terrace is the smallest of the Capella courtyards — but easily one of the most flavorful. It’s a courtyard that brings people together to chop, grill, taste, and celebrate.

Key Features of the Gastro Terrace Courtyard:

  • 🔥 Built-In Grilling Station & Outdoor Kitchen
    At the center of the courtyard is a sleek, stone-wrapped grilling island complete with a         high-capacity gas grill, prep counter, and bar seating for 10. It’s ideal for weekend cookouts, impromptu dinner parties, or resident-hosted events.
  • 🍴 Long Communal Table
    A large         concrete and wood table seats 8–10, creating the perfect setting for outdoor meals and cooking demonstrations. The open format allows neighbors to pull up a chair, share dishes, and engage in meaningful conversations.
  • 🧑‍🍳 Cooking Classes in Partnership with Bonton Farms Café
    In a groundbreaking collaboration with         Bonton Farms, the courtyard hosts seasonal cooking classes and tasting events, teaching residents how to prepare healthy, flavorful meals using local and garden-grown produce. It’s where education meets experience, right at your doorstep.
  • 🌱 Community Garden Integration
    Steps away from the terrace are         raised garden beds and planting zones tended by residents and supported by Bonton Farms’ urban agriculture team. Fresh herbs, lettuces, peppers, tomatoes, and edible flowers are just the start — and they’re picked straight for the plate.
  • 🛋️ Lounge Seating & Shade Landscaping
    Comfortable outdoor sofas, blooming planters, and shade trees surround the terrace, softening the space and inviting guests to linger long after the meal is over. It’s         casual, elevated, and deeply communal.
  • 🌿 Farm-to-Table, From Courtyard to Café
    The Gastro Terrace is more than a cooking space — it expresses Capella’s farm-to-table ecosystem. Here,         residents grow food, prepare it together, and enjoy it as a community. That food may also make its way to the Bonton Farms at Capella Park Café, reinforcing a loop of nourishment and impact.


A Table That’s Always Set for Community

Food has always had the power to bring people together, and at Capella Cottages, we’ve built a space that makes it effortless. The Gastro Terrace Courtyard is where Blue Zone principles of shared meals, plant-forward nutrition, and social connection become part of the daily rhythm.

Whether it’s a neighbor’s potluck, a food literacy workshop, or just a Tuesday night dinner under the stars, the Gastro Terrace proves that good design can build great community — one meal at a time.

The Book Nook Courtyard

A Garden for Quiet Moments and Reflective Living

Nestled within the vibrant flow of Capella Cottages, the Book Nook Courtyard offers a calming pause. This thoughtfully designed garden oasis honors the value of quiet time, intellectual wellness, and peaceful solitude. Whether you’re a lifelong reader, a thinker seeking stillness, or simply someone who enjoys a shaded corner of beauty, the Book Nook is your space to slow down, reflect, and recharge.


A Space Inspired by Stillness and Storytelling

Where some courtyards buzz with activity and laughter, the Book Nook was designed with a different kind of richness in mind — a richness of thought, imagination, and calm. It's where conversations can be whispered and ideas can take root, among native plantings, shaded walkways, and cozy seating enclaves.

Key Features of the Book Nook Courtyard:

  • 📚 Framed Swing with Ornamental Tree Centerpiece

At the heart of the courtyard sits a modern swing structure wrapped around a blossoming tree, creating a peaceful focal point. This sculptural element invites residents to linger and reflect — a literal and symbolic center of grounding.

  • 🌿 Layered Landscaping with Color and Texture

Curated garden beds surround the space with lush plantings, native florals, and low-maintenance greenery. The visual softness of the plants complements the architectural clean lines, evoking a space of calm without stillness.

  • 🪑 Moveable Seating & Intimate Benches

Flexible seating arrangements allow for both individual reading nooks and casual conversations. Whether tucked into a leafy corner or perched beside a walking path, residents can find the perfect spot to journal, work, or simply observe the day unfold.

  • 🌀 Curving Paths & Terraced Circulation

A network of gentle, decomposed granite paths encourages wandering rather than hurrying. The layout promotes mindfulness and natural movement, reinforcing Blue Zone principles without ever feeling forced.

  • 🧘 Optional Wellness Use

Although rooted in literary inspiration, the Book Nook can also flex to support other forms of wellness: gentle yoga, small mindfulness groups, and creative workshops all find a welcome home here.

  • 🗿 Sculptural Art Element

A curated modern sculpture offers an artistic pause, anchoring the garden in aesthetics and meaning, reinforcing Capella Cottages’ commitment to beauty, purpose, and intentionality.


Where the Mind Can Wander and the Spirit Can Settle

In alignment with Capella Cottages' wellness ethos, the Book Nook Courtyard embraces the Blue Zone's focus on downshifting, purpose, and belonging. It gives residents a reprieve from the digital pace of modern life, offering a pocket of stillness where screen-free moments become natural, not prescribed.

Whether it’s a sunny morning with a cup of tea, a journal session at dusk, or a spontaneous conversation sparked between neighbors, the Book Nook serves as a gentle reminder: living well doesn’t always require movement — sometimes, it just means being present.

Sunset Grove Courtyard

A Haven for Connection and Reflection

Nestled at the western edge of the Capella Cottages community, Sunset Grove Courtyard is a warm and welcoming retreat designed to capture the essence of community living and peaceful reflection. True to its name, Sunset Grove is positioned to soak in the golden glow of the day’s end, where soft light dances across the landscape and invites residents to pause, unwind, and reconnect.


At the heart of this courtyard lies a beautifully designed circular firepit lounge surrounded by lush native landscaping and clusters of curved concrete benches and lounge chairs. It is a space curated for storytelling, spontaneous conversation, and evening gatherings, whether neighbors roasting marshmallows with kids, couples enjoying a glass of wine, or individuals curled up with a book as the fire flickers. Ambient lighting provided by dual-headed lampposts ensures the space remains inviting and safe after sunset.


Organic Rhythm and Flow

The landscape architecture celebrates a natural aesthetic, with gently curving walkways that weave through flowering shrubs, ornamental grasses, and seasonal perennials. Sculptural boulders and soft mounding earth create a rhythm of height and texture, while discrete seating pods along the path allow for moments of solitude or intimate conversation. Integrating softscape and hardscape design ensures visual beauty and functionality year-round.


Community by Design

Sunset Grove’s design reflects the broader Capella vision of intentional community. Each home fronts onto this shared space, encouraging porch-to-porch interactions and an open-door culture. Residents naturally gather here in the evenings to share meals, ideas, and laughter, fostering a sense of belonging that transcends physical design.


Multi-Use Functionality

Beyond its role as a social hearth, Sunset Grove is also a flexible wellness zone. Morning tai chi, yoga at dusk, or casual book club circles all find a comfortable home here. The proximity of the fire feature to seating areas promotes warmth and connection—a central theme of the Capella ethos.


A Symbol of Peaceful Transition

Symbolically, Sunset Grove serves as a contemplative transition space. It is the courtyard where residents slow down, where the pace of the outside world gives way to intentional living. For first-time homebuyers and empty nesters alike, this courtyard offers a daily reminder of the value of community, the beauty of natural rhythms, and the joy of shared spaces.

Bonton Farms Courtyard

At the heart of Capella Cottages lies the Bonton Farms Courtyard—a vibrant social hub that seamlessly blends nourishment, nature, and neighborhood. Named in honor of our partnership with Bonton Farms, this courtyard represents more than a place—it embodies a philosophy: food is community, and community is healing.


Framed by the welcoming front porches of surrounding cottages, the courtyard is anchored by the Bonton Farms at Capella Park Café—a charming café pavilion that serves as both a culinary destination and a social connector. With outdoor seating shaded by native trees, the café spills into the courtyard, inviting residents and visitors alike to linger over fresh, farm-to-table meals crafted from ingredients grown steps away in the adjacent community garden.


The design celebrates texture and rhythm: crushed granite pathways, edible landscaping, raised garden beds, and intimate dining nooks create a courtyard that feels alive with movement and intention. At its center is a community harvest table, where neighbors gather for cooking classes, potluck dinners, and seasonal events led by the café team and visiting chefs from Bonton Farms. The table is both literal and symbolic—an open invitation to share, learn, and grow together.



Educational programs hosted here by Bonton Farms encourage wellness, sustainability, and economic opportunity. Residents can learn how to grow their own produce, prepare healthy meals, and understand the power of food as a tool for transformation. Whether it's a weekend cooking demo or a weekday coffee chat, every interaction here reinforces the values of dignity, equity, and holistic living.


The Bonton Farms Courtyard is not just a place to eat—it’s a place to reconnect with the land, with neighbors, and with purpose. It represents the soul of Capella Cottages: rooted in community, cultivated with care, and blooming with possibility.