Over at BLDGBLOG Geoff Manaugh writes in “Inhaling 9/11” about the broad range of toxins inhaled by NYC residents during and since 9/11, and what has rained back down on the surrounding area to enter the soil and waterways. Reflecting on the amount of dangerous material [understatement] released into the air as the buildings were pulverized, Manaugh asks,

“Were different and earlier forms of pulverized architecture somehow safer to breathe? In fact, if I can be excused a brief moment of contextually inappropriate speculation, would it be possible to impregnate buildings with good things – with good chemicals: with vitamins and medicines and even seeds – so that future 9/11s release beneficial plumes and so that the inhalation of architectural smoke is no longer catastrophic?”

A thought-provoking question to say the least, seeing as how – in the end – don’t all buildings fall down either by design or by accident?

Image courtesy of slagheap on Flickr