The weathering area can be out in the open. However, you have to be concerned about other birds coming in on your bird while it is out there. The other comcern is that if the bird should happen to get loose, its gone. There really are no "blueprints" because every one has thier own idea of what they eant there area to look like. Anything you put up or build is acceptable as long as you meet the minimum requirements. I have a buddy who took old garage doors and bolted them together and made his mews out of that. It wasn't pretty, but, it worked.