# Favor regional variations over period Architectural histories often categorize buildings by period (e.g., Tudor Revival, Craftsman, Bungalow). This is a reasonable approach. See Virginia McAlester's exceptional [A Field Guide to American Houses](https://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-American-Houses-Revised/dp/0375710825) as an example resource categorizing American houses. However, a further, and more important, variation happens at the regional level. [[Stewart Brand]] points out in [[How Buildings Learn]] that the process of builders learning from existing local buildings over time is an evolutionary process that leads to the "best fit" building for that region: > As generations of new buildings imitate the best of mature buildings, they increase in sophistication while retaining simplicity. They become finely attuned to the local weather and local society. A much-quoted dictum of Henry Glassie's states that "a search for pattern in folk material yields periods." Roof lines and room layout are regional. Even though we may love a particular style of building common in another region or climate, it won't "work" to simply transplant a building in that style to our local region. For example, Elizabeth and I love the chalet style of mountain lodges. But that style of building is adapted to a very different climate than central North Carolina. We should spend more time looking at the long-lasting homes around us and learn from them.