How Buildings Learn - Miniseries (1997)

In the first episode, Stewart Brand takes a look at some famous buildings... and the problems hidden behind their impressive façades.

Stewart Brand looks at the unsung heroes of architecture - cheap, unpretentious buildings, and their inherently malleable qualities.

This episode looks at people who have built their own homes and property and the difference between them and the often stubborn nature of "planned" living.

This episode examines the gap between seeing buildings as either a home or an asset.

This episode looks at how the unromantic role of maintenance plays a crucial part in shaping whether a building stands the test of time, as well as looking at the roles materials play in the way buildings adapt.

The final episode looks at how the component parts of a building adapt and change over time in order to suit the changing world.