To live well is to live sustainably, nourishing the health of oneself and the earth. The Monument to Dirt, located just north of the Matthaei Botanical Gardens, exposes one’s involvement in waste production through education about composting and the soil cycle. Like the soil cycle, the building sustains itself through waste—composting food waste from the café and the local community into fertile soil. The building functions as both civic space and infrastructure, equipping guests with skills to cultivate the earth while simultaneously engaging with the process of regeneration. A monument to dirt, the space inspires awe of the mundane.