20 Architectural Missteps That Became Total Design Failures

Just because someone might be an architect by trade doesn’t mean that they’re not going to endure one of those nasty architectural missteps. Yes, even the brightest of minds can be swiftly humbled by a tragic lack of foresight. Whether it’s a case of the stairs going to nowhere, or a building that seemed like it was literally built to wither away rapidly, these architectural fails are in a league of their own. And not the league you’d ever want to find yourself in as an architect.

1. Nice stairs, but a shame you can’t use them.

Brick-bordered ramp with metal railing leading up to a building, adjacent to shrubbery and concrete pavement, on a rainy day.
Screenshot

2. A slide for 3 then.

A large blue slide on a playground, set on artificial green turf. Other playground structures are visible in the background under a clear blue sky.
u/mklife/via reddit

3. A nice apartment in London that happens to have no front door.

Small basement room with a purple carpet and a window showing part of a car outside. A white kitchenette with a sink, microwave, and some cables on the counter is on the left. Cardboard on the floor near the window, which has white steps leading up.
u/lordcrimble/via reddit

4. Unclear on what the logic was here.

A wall-mounted TV displays a sports news channel, showing a football game update between two teams with scores 38 and 20. The screen is partially obscured by a ceiling light reflection. A sign below the TV reads "TAILGATE PACK.
u/cletu5/via reddit

5. Stairs right on down to the first floor.

A view of a cityscape featuring a close-up of a high-rise concrete building. The building has a ladder on its exterior wall and large windows. In the background, there are more buildings and a green hillside.
u/fishy553/via reddit

6. Now that’s one of the worst architectural missteps seen yet.

A four-story brick residential building with blue window frames and doors. Each floor has small balconies. Leafless trees and shrubs are in front, along a paved pathway. The sky is overcast.
u/thera/via reddit

Some designs are doomed for disaster from their very conceptualization. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a structural fail built for failure, and we’re sure that it’s not going to be the last.

7. When you don’t think all the way through your drainage system.

A parking lot with yellow striped lines leads to the entrance of a modern building with large windows and vertical blinds. A car's side mirror is visible in the foreground. The building exterior is made of textured concrete.
u/alliewrites/via reddit.com

8. Unclear as to what’s going on here.

A pale, textured wall features two windows: one large with metal bars and netting, and a smaller one next to it with a stone frame. A small mailbox is mounted on the wall below the windows.
u/odamaeus/via reddit

9. This nice old house with a snazzy new door.

A small house with a metal roof stands on a grassy yard. It has a pinkish wall and a black door. There's a street sign on the corner of the building. Trees and more houses are in the background under a clear blue sky.
u/hellokitty901/via reddit.com

10. When people aren’t paying attention to the stop signs.

Two stop signs on a street corner with a beige and red building in the background. A leafless tree stands nearby, and a fire hydrant is situated at the edge of the sidewalk.
u/mediumsized/via reddit.com

11. Big brain roof access placement.n

View of a gravel rooftop with an open hatch and some wooden beams inside. A road with a moving car, a bus stop, and a blue trash bin are visible in the background.
u/fixingbysmashing/via reddit

12. A nice parking lot. At least they tried.

A paved sidewalk runs parallel to an empty parking lot with a few parked cars. A large sign reading "ADMIRAL" is visible near the building in the background. The sky is overcast, and there are some covered items on the left.
u/colin96/via reddit

13. Bit of a stair situation we have going on here.

A person standing on stairs with their head obscured by a low ceiling. They are wearing a red shirt and beige pants, and have their arms outstretched.
u/himd98/via reddit.com

14. Nice touch with the nonsense design there.

A two-story building facade with two barred windows and a decorative metal balcony. The exterior has a stone-like finish on the right. Overhead wires and a satellite dish are visible against a cloudy sky.
u/agencylogic/via reddit.com

15. This is chaos, and not the good kind.

A large, indoor staircase made of concrete with metal railings leads upward, splitting into two directions. The area is well-lit by large windows on the upper floor and ceiling lights.
u/agencylogic/via reddit.com

16. Well, there goes the whole privacy matter.

A small bathroom with a toilet elevated on carpeted steps next to a sink. There is a mirror above the sink, with a strip of wall dividing the two areas. A lamp is visible on the right side of the image.
u/agencylogic/via reddit

17. Wouldn’t want to wake up groggy here.

A door opens directly onto a wooden staircase without a landing, leading down to a lower level. A basket with laundry is visible in the adjoining carpeted room.
u/agencylogic/via reddit

18. Enjoy the game, sir.

A man sits in a stadium seat, giving a thumbs-up. His view is obstructed by a large pole. Other spectators are visible in nearby seats.
u/agencylogic/via reddit

19. Another beautiful day in paradise.

A small building with a gray wall, stone foundation, and a single window. Concrete steps with a metal railing lead to a door not visible in the image. A parked car is partially visible on the left side.
u/agencylogic/via reddit

20. Deeply unsettling to say the least.

A staircase leading down between two walls, with a wooden handrail and dark-colored balusters. A closed white door with an arch near the bottom of the stairs. The floor is tiled with large, light-colored tiles.
u/agencylogic/via reddit

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