Provided is a method for the adaptive updating of building block architectures and designs in the event of a change to a component of the building block architecture. When a specific component of the architecture, or SBB, is replaced or modified, the metadata associated with the new or modified component is placed in a building block repository. The system captures or recognizes the event and automatically makes updates to dependent components of the specific component. Such updates may include, but are not limited to, a substitution or replacement of one component with another, generally if the replacement component is a better fit in the solution architecture than the original component. A new or updated system architecture is generated to reflect the replaced and/or modified components and the associated metadata. In the alternative, the system notifies an administrator to make specific changes in components rather than implementing the changes automatically.