The courtyard with two different privacy problems
Who can see me, and what would stop them?
Privacy is a geometry problem with a view cost. The useful answer is the smallest thing that interrupts the specific line that bothers you.
The line
East upstairs window has a clear line from 36 feet away, 18 degrees above the seat. Halfway along that line a barrier would have to reach about 9.7 feet. A 6 ft screen 6.5 ft out is the smallest thing that closes every line that matters. It leaves the view essentially intact.
| Who | Line | Distance | Above the seat | Bearing | Barrier halfway | Interrupted by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East upstairs window | Wide open | 36.2 ft | 18° | 85° | 9.7 ft | nothing |
| West shared path | Blocked | 27.1 ft | 3° | 256° | 4.8 ft | Existing side fence |
The smallest thing that closes it
A 6 ft screen 6.5 ft out
6 feet high and about 7.9 feet wide, standing 6.5 feet from the seat, across the line from East upstairs window. That is roughly 47 sq ft of material.
Sized against 1 of 2 marked observers. Nobody of any weight is left with a view in.
Every position tested
Close to the seat means short and wide. Close to them means tall and narrow, and usually not your land.| What | Height | Width | Material | Privacy after | View kept | Still sees in | Whose land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A 6 ft screen 6.5 ft out 6 feet high and about 7.9 feet wide, standing 6.5 feet from the seat, across the line from East upstairs window. That is roughly 47 sq ft of material. Being close to the seat means it has to be wide to cover the angle, and it sits right where you are. | 6 ft | 7.9 ft | 47 sq ft | 4 | 100 | nobody | your land |
A 7.4 ft screen 10.9 ft out 7.4 feet high and about 6.7 feet wide, standing 10.9 feet from the seat, across the line from East upstairs window. That is roughly 50 sq ft of material. Neither short nor narrow. | 7.4 ft | 6.7 ft | 50 sq ft | 4 | 100 | nobody | your land |
A 9.1 ft screen 16.3 ft out 9.1 feet high and about 5.3 feet wide, standing 16.3 feet from the seat, across the line from East upstairs window. That is roughly 48 sq ft of material. Neither short nor narrow. | 9.1 ft | 5.3 ft | 48 sq ft | 4 | 100 | nobody | your land |
A 11.4 ft screen 24 ft out 11.4 feet high and about 3.9 feet wide, standing 24 feet from the seat, across the line from East upstairs window. That is roughly 45 sq ft of material. Being near the far end means real height, and it is the position most likely to be on somebody else's land. | 11.4 ft | 3.9 ft | 45 sq ft | 4 | 100 | nobody | not your land |
2 screens, one for each direction The smallest screen tested on each side, taken together: 11.4 ft across the line from East upstairs window, 5 ft across the line from West shared path. Roughly 65 sq ft of material in total. This is 2 separate builds, not one, and together they start to enclose the space. | 11.4 ft | 7.9 ft | 65 sq ft | 4 | 100 | nobody | not your land |
A 4.4 ft screen 8.1 ft out 4.4 feet high and about 7.3 feet wide, standing 8.1 feet from the seat, across the line from West shared path. That is roughly 32 sq ft of material. Neither short nor narrow. | 4.4 ft | 7.3 ft | 32 sq ft | 51 | 100 | East upstairs window | your land |
A 4.7 ft screen 12.2 ft out 4.7 feet high and about 5.8 feet wide, standing 12.2 feet from the seat, across the line from West shared path. That is roughly 27 sq ft of material. Neither short nor narrow. | 4.7 ft | 5.8 ft | 27 sq ft | 51 | 100 | East upstairs window | your land |
A 5 ft screen 17.6 ft out 5 feet high and about 3.9 feet wide, standing 17.6 feet from the seat, across the line from West shared path. That is roughly 20 sq ft of material. Being near the far end means real height, and it is the position most likely to be on somebody else's land. | 5 ft | 3.9 ft | 20 sq ft | 51 | 100 | East upstairs window | your land |
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