A Skyscraper Based on a Plant

An article in the UK version of Wired talks about a design for a skyscraper that would collect water in much the way plants do. The skin of the building collects rainwater, guiding it to storage cisterns below ground. It could then be used for toilets, irrigation, clothes washing, and other uses for which potable water is not required. Unfortunately, the design is just that--a model created for a competition. It's not likely to be built any time soon. And it would be even cooler if the building used only the water that fell on the site for everything, including potable water needs. Then it would really and truly mimic a plant.