how buildings learn

in 1997 bbc aired a six part mini series about how the buildings grow older with their owners. there are all 30 minutes parts on google video here: one two three four five six.

"Buildings keep changing: people either have to or want to keep reworking them to seek the unfolding patterns of their lives. Architects understand their buildings to be finished and perfect but it’s impossible. Reality makes the new building necessarily unfinished and imperfect but perhaps perfectible in time. If that reality were designed for, architects could do civilization a great service. Buildings need to learn the same way we do. Give them time."