The article presents an innovative approach to arrest the propagation of failures in buildings, particularly in the context of major initial failures. Current design methods aim to prevent collapse by improving connectivity between building components, but this can lead to the collapse of unaffected parts of the building. The proposed hierarchy-based collapse isolation design ensures that specific elements fail before the most critical components, preventing the propagation of collapse. This approach is validated through experimental tests on a full-scale precast concrete building, demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing total collapse even after large initial failures. The design prioritizes controlled fracture along predefined segment borders to limit failure propagation, inspired by the way lizards shed their tails to escape predators. The study highlights the importance of robustness design in preventing catastrophic building collapses, especially in the face of increasing extreme events.The article presents an innovative approach to arrest the propagation of failures in buildings, particularly in the context of major initial failures. Current design methods aim to prevent collapse by improving connectivity between building components, but this can lead to the collapse of unaffected parts of the building. The proposed hierarchy-based collapse isolation design ensures that specific elements fail before the most critical components, preventing the propagation of collapse. This approach is validated through experimental tests on a full-scale precast concrete building, demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing total collapse even after large initial failures. The design prioritizes controlled fracture along predefined segment borders to limit failure propagation, inspired by the way lizards shed their tails to escape predators. The study highlights the importance of robustness design in preventing catastrophic building collapses, especially in the face of increasing extreme events.