The arrangement of a house can be a strong influence on the landscape itself. Formal houses like center-hall colonials appear as strong singular objects in the landscape to be viewed from its approach, while informal, site-specific houses can be used to define and give form to the landscape.Moving beyond the intentions of the L-shaped plan or the practical needs of the dogtrot plan, the courtyard house provides strongly delineated edges to nearly contain the outdoor room. The primary difference between them is that the plan layout often sets up a visual axis of sight to a focal point, and the arrangement of the plan allows maximum privacy of the outdoor room.Typically, the principle rooms are arranged around a central courtyard with sun, light and air flow permeating through both sides of each room. A clear separation of living and sleeping space can be achieved while allowing all rooms direct access to the same exterior space.In America, houses like this were historically found in the Southern and Southwestern regions as a direct response to the climate before electricity and air conditioning, while in the cooler North a more compact cubic form was appropriate to minimize exposure to wind and to retain heat at the heart of the home. Today, these arrangements are still the most sustainable design approach for their regions.