Apparently stress applies to buildings as well. They rely heavily on the characteristics of the soil on which they are located, which makes them in that matter comparable with the plants in my research.

This bunker feels the power of erosion under its foundation

If the belowground environment consists of hostile dry sand like in the coastal dunes, even the strongest bunker has a rough time standing its ground against the powers of nature.

As wind and rain keep the sand on the move, all living and dead things in the dunes should  be prepared that their current location can only be temporary. The powers of erosion and sedimentation will one day or another end the peace, and that day will rather be sooner than later here.

As both plants and buildings cannot move unaided to a safer location, they need a strong foundation to warrant a long life. That is the reason why the roots of dune plants will be the most important part of the whole organism.

Maybe the architects of the buildings in these pictures could learn a lesson from the plant world…