Everything sheds. Look around at nature and you will see some process of shedding the old to allow for the regeneration of the new. Trees shed their leaves in the fall, dogs shed their fur, lizards, spiders and snakes shed their skins, birds shed feathers, and so on. But where do we ever see a shedding process within architecture? Constantly we see this process of shedding in the natural world where the old is reused in the environment. Fungi and bacteria break down and reuse the hair and skin cells that are shed. Trees recycle the energy from the leaves that are lost in the fall as they decompose. Uneaten fruit that some trees produce can be reabsorbed into the soil to help renourish the tree as well as provide the potential for propagation through seeds.
How can a building not only regenerate and renew its "skin" on a basis as well as provide nourishment for its surrounding habitat? What kind of materials can we apply to buildings that will not only help the general upkeep but also benefit the landscape that encompases the structure. Self-sustainable buildings are in a way beginning to approach a similar idea as the tree, but I think the next step is to not only have self-sustainable buildings, but buildings that have a direct and positive interaction with the landscape they inhabit.
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