ABSTRACT
The vastness of the landscape is the first thing that strikes a visitor to the American West— the big sky, distant views, and spectacular sunsets. The region is made up of three primary ecological zones—defined as desert, high dry plains, and Mediterranean. The arid desert zone is composed of the Chihuahua, Great Basin, Mojave, and Sonoran deserts. The Colorado Plateau and parts of west Texas make up the semi-arid high plains. The courtyard house is an ancient concept that is found in many arid parts of the globe. The West is rich in sustainable building materials such as earth, stone, and to a lesser extent, wood. Native American groups, such as the Anasazi, built some of the most beautifully constructed stone buildings in the southwest. In the West, timber is a precious commodity and a necessary one for the basic structure of any vernacular building.
