Architecture and construction are something to admire…when it’s done right that is. But there are so many times when construction teams and designers just had a bad day at the office and ultimately came up with a piece of handiwork that did not serve its purpose. Whether it be stairs that lead to nowhere or urinals placed in the most bizarre locations, construction fails are more common than you might think.
What you’ll see on our list are plenty of examples of just that. Some of these construction failures are just too good to be true. Get ready for miscalculated doors, and unbelievable improvisations. One thing’s for sure, you will definitely be amused.
This Is Going to Be An Issue
This picture of an electric post standing in the middle of the road to nowhere makes us curious. It makes us wonder which was there first: the post or the concrete. It just doesn’t make sense at all.
To have a post standing on a highway poses an immeasurable risk to drivers, especially at night. It’s like trying to finish a video game where you have to hurdle past the challenges per level, except that, in our world, you only have one life to use to finish it all. Seriously, somebody from the government needs to do something about this before anyone gets hurt.
You Had One Job
When drains are placed around streets, they are typically done so at a level that ensures they collect the rainwater like they are supposed to do. Unfortunately, this crew didn’t get the memo. Now, this drain is more for show than anything else.
Imagine a scenario where a drain is positioned too high above all of the surrounding water. It's supposed to collect water, not let it have its way with the world and remain on the surface. We guess it's safe to say the following dad pun, "ladies and gentlemen, this is a classic case of 'no drain, no rain.'" Or something like that.
What’s Going On Here?
Can you imagine coming back into your hotel after a night out drinking on vacation and seeing this? It would probably be pretty tough to get back up to your room when the floors are all jumbled up. Maybe they should have someone who knows how to count and repaint the buttons.
Seriously. Why is six all the way down trapped between a mixed-up 28, 29, and 30? And that’s just one of basically all of the number placements that make no sense! It's pretty simple - you start with number 1 (which is the bottom floor), and you work your way up to the highest number, which in this case, is number 40.
A Special Kind of Classroom
Okay, we’re not sure if this is technically a classroom, but it certainly seems like it’s set up as such. Why is there no door or wall blocking this bathroom from the rows of chairs facing it? Also, why does the toilet paper look as if it’s way too far away from the seat?
Perhaps this is some odd type of health class setting where they require the toilet for some kind of demonstration? For the sake of whoever has to sit in any of those chairs, we hope not. Either that, or it's some weird way for the teacher to know for sure if the student really needs to go or not.
Bad Planning
Years ago, the owner of this house must have had great plans for building his home. He discussed his ideas with his architect, and having worked long enough to earn the money needed to finance its construction, he let his lifelong project of building a dream residence roll.
The only problem is that he had probably expected the road to run just beside his property, which is located down the slope, from a depressed surface. But it happens to veer away, as if changing its mind about letting him live on the street at the last minute. And now his parking area floats above the second level. Or he’s probably just out of his mind to have it built that way. Case closed.
A Date With the Wall
We don't know what restaurant this is, or what the furniture designers were trying to do with that booth, but this is just hilarious. Then again, this teenager probably just wanted to sit down and eat already and couldn't find a proper spot, so, he saw a design fluke and made the best of it!
Although all things considered, the restaurant people should probably make better use of that area, since anybody sitting here, facing the wall, would just make any passersby want to cry! Listen, they want to help as many customers as possible to feel comfortable while they eat. In this case, it really depends on who chooses to sit there.
The Lost Island
We're sure the town hall had several meetings on whether to allow this little island to be built and after a long, tiring argument, they decided to go ahead and do it. After all, what's a town without a completely useless, isolated, hazardous concrete island in the middle of the road?
Now, this is teamwork at its best! It's just some unnecessary obstacle that all of the drivers will need to dodge if they don't want to risk toppling over. Whoever got this approved at the town planning association - they need to be reminded that this is real life, not Mario Kart. If you get eliminated in this world, there is no coming back.
Brilliant Security System
It makes us feel secure to live within gated communities, especially with all the crime that goes on nowadays. It has the advantages of prestige, added amenities, and strict rules in implementation.
These residents wanted their home to be more secure, and so they added an iron gate at the front of their home, with an additional locking system. However, a would-be thief only needs to take a side step to see that its flank is totally open by the staircase. The laziest intruder could get inside just by stepping over a line of plants.
No Words
This is so ridiculous we can't even find a title appropriate enough to describe this mess. We understand that there are many people out there who are under the impression that planning and building can be done by anybody. But folks, this is really not the case.
We can't even begin to understand how this happened. Maybe the person just did it on purpose and stored away all the things they never want to see again. At the end of the day, how the heck are you supposed to use these drawers? They're just a nice set of drawers completely gone to waste!
Self-Serve Kiosks for Kids
Unless the guys at Taco Bell had kids or the 2 AM drunks in mind when they built these self-serve kiosks, we don't know what to think. Sure, it's perfectly convenient when you're all over the place and want to place your order while you're lying comatose on the floor, but if you're sober and taller than a five-year-old, this is extremely annoying.
It's a great idea for a fast food restaurant totally dedicated to children - but that doesn't exist anywhere in the world! The only other reason for this design is to encourage customers to do more squats before they eat their next burger and fries.
Just Cruel
We’ve read somewhere that running up and down a staircase makes for great exercise. It strengthens your leg muscles, trims your waistline, improves your cardiovascular system, and stamina. This is the only thing that comes to mind whenever we look at this picture.
Otherwise, you’d be quite disappointed for putting in the effort to use the stairs only to end up facing a wall. The whole idea is like a puzzle game. We imagine guests have no choice but to go back down and find other ways in the maze to get to their destination.
The Optical Illusion Supermarket
This supermarket looks more like a carnival funhouse than a place to buy groceries. We are all for a modern and groovy design, but this just makes us nauseous. And the supermarket is really not a place where you want to be sick.
That being said, maybe the manager is very OCD, and can only stock aisle 4 when he steps on the brown lines. He's just making his life easier by design. Who wants to feel all dizzy and disorientated while doing their weekly shopping? It's frustrating enough to keep looking down at your shopping list while you're navigating the aisles. This makes everything so much more difficult.
The Existential Stairs
This looks like a movie set for Spike Jonze's "Being John Malkovich." Honestly, there could be no other possible, or logical explanation as to why somebody would do this. Unless the building owners were betting to see who had the first accident while using the stairs.
All we can ask ourselves is the following: where do those hidden stairs lead to? Maybe they lead to something terrible and sinister. And that's why the designers decided to make it so much more difficult to get down there. Sadly, we actually hope that this is the explanation. Otherwise, it's just the most ridiculous design/construction fail ever made!
Ouch!
This must be the worst slide design ever. Either the designer hates children, or they misunderstood the point of a slide. There's just no way anyone could slide on this thing comfortably. Was this someone's school project?
Because if we were this person's design teachers, we would have given them an F. Instead, it seems like this person graduated and was given a job, which just wasn't the right decision if you ask us. It's called a "slide." You're supposed to slide down the thing. This guy seems to think it's called a "bumper." Because that's exactly what would happen.
Stating the Obvious
This seems like it should have been pretty straightforward. If for some reason, you have a door that floats above the ground, a flight of three stairs should do the trick. But — and we feel silly for having to say this — you should make sure the flight of stairs you build actually leads to the door and not into the wall...
And then it hit us. Maybe the "door" that we see isn't actually a door at all. Maybe, just maybe, someone painted a door onto the wall and made the actual door look like it was just part of the wall. There you have it, your mind has been officially blown.
Hotel From Hell
Imagine this scenario: you have chosen to spend the night at a hotel, expecting to enjoy yourself and have a relaxing evening. You step into the shower, which already is not as fancy as you wanted it to be. After spending some time in the shower you feel like the room lacks ventilation which is when you look for the venthole.
Sadly, you discover a design fail, or maybe a design scam — there is a vent, well, the cover of one. But it is just screwed directly onto the wall. No actual ventilation here! Just the illusion of ventilation!
Extraordinary Garage
Is this a garage or a storage area? With the size and placement of the door, we cannot imagine how a vehicle could wiggle itself inside. This “garage” would have a mini Cooper feeling like a Hummer. Our only explanation is that there is some kind of wizardry involved here that our puny muggle minds can’t comprehend.
If there’s no magic afoot, then we humbly suggest this failed garage should be converted into an oversized bin for rejected household items. Fun fact; many years ago, this was the way houses were designed. People found it a little awkward, so they never lived in them. Things had to change.
Door Or Window?
We assume that this construction must be found somewhere in a Mediterranean country. Somewhere like Italy or Malta, where extremely old buildings have been preserved and are an absolute charm to look at. But with that comes some pretty fascinating, albeit perplexing construction choices - like this one.
It's hard to say whether this is supposed to be an entrance/exit to the room, or if it should be a window for people to look out of. At any rate, at least there are stairs for people to reach the window and decide what they want to use it for. We think it's a window.
Wrong in So Many Ways
Pretty sure someone had a little too much to drink when this bathroom was designed. That’s the closest we can get to an explanation for this hilarious renovation failure. Why else would you place a toilet holder two miles away from the actual toilet? Someone must tell them this is not the way a bathroom should look.
Wetness issues aside, you’d need some freakishly long arms to reach the roll from where you usually tend to need it. We want to know who designed it, where they got inspiration from, and most importantly when they are going to fix this.
Stairway to Heaven
Someone clearly didn’t think the logistics of this staircase through (unless they were trying to pull a prank or something). Seems like the homeowners either need to prepare themselves for regularly recurring concussions or call in some experts to fix this disaster.
After full research, we have discovered what lies behind this design failure. As it turns out, when the clock strikes midnight, the ceiling opens, and the second floor of this apartment is revealed. At six AM, before the toddlers awake, the ceiling closes itself and this dreadful design is shown to the public once again. We wonder what happens to those who forget to go down...
Leaning Tower of... Jeez, is That Thing Stable?
We can just picture the owners claiming that this is not a fault in the house; they totally designed it to emulate the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Their neighbors politely smile and nod, but deep down, everyone knows this is the product of a renovation disaster.
At least living in a leaning home would keep life interesting, right? And besides, when money is short, and the world recession is knocking on the door, let's pretend we are in Pisa, and let's pretend we don't really need to travel as we have everything just outside our door. But then, the building collapses...
Stairs to Nowhere
Analyzing this photo and the staircase/ramp relationship is a wonderful exercise in making your brain hurt. Our best guess is that the initial plan was to allow the residents to enter the door using the staircase. However, in the middle of construction, they decided to slap a walkway over it (presumably), connecting it to another building on the opposite side. Whatever the cause, this pointless staircase makes you wonder how much you could trust the rest of the construction.
We assume this was a last-minute change of mind. Initially, the building was supposed to have a staircase. However, something made them change their mind, and they built a bridge instead. Haven't they heard of cleaning up the mess after that?
Nature: 1, Driveway: 0
Okay, so you love your tree, we get it. Trees are awesome. But paving your driveway around it and building your garage behind it? The tree so perfectly blocks the garage door that you might as well save your money and not have a garage at all… This makes us wonder just what’s going on inside said garage since there’s definitely not a car in there.
Perhaps it's a gym? Maybe ita a spare room plus a playroom plus a guest room plus anywhere to escape your husband who planned, designed, and executed this. Someone really needs to cut that tree down soon.
This Is Not Going To Work
Imagine having to raise enough money to hire a group of construction people to fit a railing, or, set up a hatch, or fit in a piece of brand-new furniture, only to come home to discover this. Not only have they rendered it defunct, but you now have one or two more problems added to your list than before you hired them.
You don’t know if you want to laugh out loud or berate them. Some dumb things can overwhelm you so much that you don’t exactly know how to react to the profound stupidity of it all. We hope this homeowner found a way!
We Can't Handle This
It shouldn't take a rocket scientist to work out the ramifications of this construction fail. When it comes to home security, having a front door that prevents people from breaking in is right up there on the list of top priorities. The whole point of a front door is to be a safe entry and exit for those who use it.
For some reason, this guy decided to install this handle onto the front door of his house. As you can see, it has a completely basic push/pull mechanism. There is no keyhole. There is no safety lock of any kind. There is no lever to pull down to actually open the darn thing. It's a recipe for all kinds of disasters.
A Different Kind Of Back Door
We’ve been presented with one too many doors installed way too high above the ground, so maybe this has been perpetrated by the very same serial contractor of absolute failure. So far, this one is worse than the others, and people could seriously get hurt.
Look at how every level of this apartment building has been constructed with the same trap. Notice how even the rooftop is built with a gap, where anyone could fall at the slightest misstep. We wonder how they got their building permits for this in the first place.
Made For The Blind, By The Blind
Even if you zoomed out your vision, and didn’t really focus on any particular angle, you would really be able to detect something wrong here. How the pedestrian lines cross the roads toward the edge of the curb instead of its road pavement. How the lines are misaligned, geometrically, and very bothersome to look at.
The guys hired to do this must not really care at all about their jobs, or, they must be blind. And their supervisor seems okay with this. How could they not have seen this? Impossible!
Jump For Your Life
Before signing a contract for a prospective apartment, there are many factors to consider… not the least of which is the emergency exit. In case of a fire, you need to have a safe and viable escape route. This particular apartment building decided to offer the occupants on the upper levels a different kind of exit: one that, in case of emergency, simply offers a different way to die.
Unless you have the presence of mind and ninja skills necessary to notice the missing stairs while you are running for your life and avoid plummeting into the gap, we suggest getting this fixed!
Our Door is Always Open
The person who installed this doorknob clearly took the saying “Our door is always open” far too literally. Either that or they were intoxicated. If only we could have been there with our cameras to capture the moment of realization when the person responsible for this masterpiece first tried to put it into action.
These kinds of design failures always get to us. When the person responsible for this was in the process of putting all of the parts together, didn't he see that something was wrong? If not, then he might need to reconsider all of his life choices.
It's OK, We Get the Message
You can either accuse the guy who painted this on the street of not knowing how to spell properly, or be a bit kinder and simply suspect him of being dyslexic; something that clearly isn’t his own fault. Even a fifth grader can spell the word “stop,” and this isn’t a special code or something that needs to be deciphered.
It’s just funny how an adult could be hired to do a simple job and then mess it up so badly. On the lighter side of things, it could be a source of humor for travelers passing by, to keep them from drowsiness. There’s nothing like a good laugh to boost your alertness.
Bath University
No pain, no brain. That is all we have to say about this next design failure. It seems to win them all. We are doing our best to see if this is an optical illusion. However, the more we try, the more we acknowledge the fact that some human is responsible for this. All that is missing is a small ramp to make this perfect.
This is for all those times when all you wanted was a bit of peace and quiet sprinkled with a touch of flooding. The next question is, how do we solve this? Do we break this apart and create a new and proper one? Or do we just level out the floor by placing a few bricks?
We Really Hope The Trains Aren't Operating
These are strange times indeed. Apparently, one is no longer safe within the confines of one’s home. This photograph shows us a terrace where the railroad runs directly below it. But of course, this transit line must have been condemned years ago, otherwise this structure would have been smashed into bits.
It’s still hilarious to look at this picture, though. It stimulates one’s imagination, of what the odds are that you’d one day sit outside with a cup of tea and see a freight train choo-choing in your direction.
Trapped
Don’t you just hate it when you’re super hungry but can’t open the fridge because the oven’s blocking it? Or has that never happened to you? This is yet another problem that could’ve been solved by simply measuring first and installing second. Tip: bigger isn’t always better. Oh yes, and sense is not always as common as you may think it is.
This has got to be a house someone is renting out, and that someone obviously doesn't care if his tenants are able to make use of the kitchen or not. As long as he advertised a "fully fitted kitchen and well designed."
Whack-A-Rat
If we had a drone to play around with, we’d take a picture with it while hovering a few feet above this place. It’s not a giant gaping hole. We think it’s a pattern created by UFOs on the road, apparently at night, when everyone else in the neighborhood was deep asleep.
Just look at the way the lines separate at a certain point, veering towards opposite directions. That has to mean something, right? It’s like a scene from the Twilight Zone TV series, from back in the day. Spooky.
Mind the Window
Here is another example of how not to install a basketball net for the children at the back of the house. Is this some kind of new trend we’re not aware of? This driveway setup looks like an accident waiting to happen. It won't need much, and whoever is shooting the ball will probably break the glass window on the first attempt.
So what do we suggest? We suggest the boy doesn't play ball, we suggest whoever put this there takes responsibility and receives it, we suggest to make sure you have a number of your local glazier, and most of all, we suggest you think before taking action.
Guess and Go
The ability to see traffic lights is a rather crucial part of road safety, so this fail leaves one scratching their heads in total confusion. Perhaps this is some kind of experiment to leave drivers to their own devices. For now, it doesn't look like a total disaster.
A fail? An act of vandalism? Whatever it is, someone needs to fix this now before disaster strikes!
A Window With a View
This seemingly quaint little attic could have had a lovely floor-top view if someone didn't stick the chimney (or fireplace?) smack in the middle. Interesting choice. Unfortunately, this window will never reach its full potential.
We strongly hope that the next residents rectify this situation. Windows need to be looked out from, not be bricked up!
Out of My Way
Interesting spot for a fan. Ideally, a fan rotates without knocking into walls, thus creating a breezy much-needed effect during those summer months. But perhaps this fan is being re-purposed as a hammer?
Whatever the plan is, both those walls and that fan need to be taken care of immediately. Unless this is an abstract work of art, in which case- we don't get it.
Sliding Driveway
This driveway is versatile, it can make a great place for skateboarding and bicycle exhibitions (just apply safety precautions, please). Also, walking up and down on it is a great way of exercising, which saves you a lot of money from expensive gym memberships. The drawbacks: daily risk of serious injury, especially during the rainy season!
But, if you have one of these at your house, we can guarantee all of your friends who have little kids will be over for a day of entertainment. There is a price to pay for any decision we take, so if you want to have an open house and an open elbow, this one is for you.
Inaccessible Seating Area
Now here is an innovative solution to the problem of finding yourself in charge of a haunted hotel. Bring some contractors in, and design yourself some seating areas that keep the ghosts happily occupied and out of the way of guests. We think this is absolutely brilliant.
We would love to see what other ghost-ready installments will be found throughout the rest of the establishment. Could you imagine what a bed against the wall would look like, or even worse, an upside-down toilet? With the things we've seen here, anything goes, and very few things are able to surprise us.
Isn't it Ironic?
An old man turns ninety-eight, he wins the lottery, and dies the next day; it's like rain on your wedding day; it's a parking space no disabled person could ever use. And isn't it ironic? Don't you think? So, whoever is responsible for this chaos probably didn't think too far, as no person, being disabled or not, could ever use this for their car.
Saying that, we give a thumbs up for the funnel-like edge. This way, no matter what happens, no one will find themselves in a pond. Traffic jam, when you're already late, and a no smoking sign on your cigarette break.
Withdrawal Issues
Is this one of those new designs that forces you to get a workout to get what you want out of it? That’s a pretty decent climb and solid squat you have to engage in to get your cash. It may not be the most comfortable or convenient ATM in the world, but your glutes will thank you later!
Now the more we think of it, the more we question what lies behind this. Yes, we appreciate the fact that the stairs are there to assist people in drawing out money. However, it also assists thieves in breaking into the machine. Something to think about...
Where's the Knob?
We’re not going to go around saying that construction is the easiest job in the world (that would be acting), but we feel like even the rank amateur could have figured out a better way to get this job done. As you can clearly see, the opening for the doorknob is on the inside of the door, where the hinges are, and that makes it, at the very least, a difficult door to open. Or keep shut.
The fact that someone went through all that work to get the door up on the hinges without noticing that the hole for the knob was on the wrong end. Now they either have to take it off and put it up the proper way, or figure out some way to cut out a perfect hole and plug the other side. It could be done, but it won’t be easy.
How Are We Supposed to Get Clothes Back Out?
Ah, closets. We’ve been using them for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years, and they’re honestly quite the simple innovation: there are some doors. You open the doors to find a small area where you can put things. Then you close the doors. There, that’s a closet.
How can you possibly mess that up? Let’s ask the people who put together the subject of this picture. You might not realize it, but a closet that opens inward means the amount of stuff you can put inside it has been knocked down to about ten percent of the space that it has. Lunch break is over, guys, you need to fix that immediately.
Living on the Edge
This seems like a bright idea. Placing a tap directly above an electrical outlet is guaranteed to create drama. There are construction fails, and there is this.
Construction 101, do not place any electrical outlets near a water supply. This seems obvious to anyone. We sure hope no one got hurt in the process.
At Least You Can’t See the Faces
When you are in the midst of your most private moments, you hope that nobody will be able to look at you. You get a little room to yourself, or at least a little stall, where nobody can see you shamefully dispense waste. This bathroom, however, does things a little differently, and by that, we mean worse.
The doors seem to have been installed upside down, meaning there is far too much space under the doors for people to peep through as you take a tinkle. Only the most desperate or unlucky will decide to use the facilities here. Maybe they have a hostile takeover of the other bathroom if things get bad enough. Well, desperate times call for desperate measures.
You're Doing it Wrong
Ah, London. Black taxis, Big Ben, and red telephone boxes. These are the quaint little features of this wonderful city. They are so great in fact, that other people in other parts of the world want to have them too. Sadly, however, not everyone can get it right, so they do what they can with what they have. Case in point - this telephone box.
Cultural nuances aside, this looks kind of impractical. The idea of the box is to have a private and undisturbed conversation with someone. Talk about personal space.
In Case of Emergency
Hopefully, no sudden fires start in this area. It would destroy everything by the time rescuers would be able to open the fire hydrant.
We can't think of a worse place to install a fire hydrant or anything else one would need in case of an emergency.
Helmet Required
Having a place for the kiddies to play is an important part of urban planning. You can’t have a city that is just boring office blocks and apartment buildings everywhere – you have to have parks and playgrounds, too. This is why this city – Japanese, though nailing down the exact city is a little tough – wanted to put in a slide.
Though they…didn’t exactly put it in the best spot. We’re told that the fence on the left is around an elementary school, so the location makes a little bit of sense, but we bet there are plenty of parents who have an issue with where this slide got placed. But maybe this is some kind of special child training. They have to be quick on their feet to avoid getting wet.
The Stairs to Nowhere
We’re told that these stairs were added to a house or some other building due to the simple desire for symmetry. There were stairs on the other side of the room that wound up the wall in the same way, moving in the opposite direction, and the people who built the house just could leave it without mirroring the steps, even though they don’t actually lead up to anything as far as we can tell.
Maybe there’s an attic up there or something like that. There’s obviously no kind of traditional landing to this staircase, which is the sort of thing that newer houses never have. No staircases going nowhere, no tiny bathrooms crammed into corners. There’s something really nice about those old homes and how bad they were made sometimes.
Well Placed
Talk about an indispensable soap dispenser and the weirdly placed hand dryer. At least there are two functional soap dispensers over there, with that unnecessary third one just hovering over.
It sort of looks like it's the third wheel that never quite fits in. We give this one an F in bathroom design.
A Good Effort
This baby boom barrier has a lot of growing up to do and perhaps is overreaching a little. While this is a total failure on the part of the supposed security company that put this there, we can't help but notice that this is indeed adorable.
You're doing a great job, little one, maybe one day you will actually be able to stop a car.
Tap Shower
There is no use for water to run onto the handle of a faucet. Think of all the crazy watermarks, and just the general pointlessness of it all.
We've seen some real fails when it comes to bathroom designs, yet it seems that this one takes the cake for creativity. One really had to go out of their way to come up with this one.
In the Way
We’re not going to get on here and say that properly designing a building to be super safe and follow all the codes and things like that is easy, but is there really no way to avoid this? This building, whatever it was (we’re thinking an apartment building of some kind) wanted to have a bunch of those angled white pillars, but they angled all over the place, including right through this walkway.
Maybe the building needed them because of structural issues, but it’s a lot more likely that one team built the supports, and then a second team came in and realized they needed to build a walkway right through them. It looks like it’s still a viable path, but it’s the kind of thing that people who use it make fun of every time.
Handicap Accessibility
They say it's the thought that counts... but is it really? They probably meant well by hanging the sign but how do they expect a disabled person to get up those stairs?!
Hopefully, this was just a sarcastic joke and no one was stupid enough to completely overlook those steps.
“Rest” Room
If you’ve ever wanted to get comfortable with the other people using the restroom at the same time as you, now is your chance. Most public bathrooms have some kind of dividers between the stalls and the urinals, even if they’re just nominal barriers. This place apparently didn’t really feel like doing that. It looks like there is some kind of barrier over on the left, but nothing other than that.
If you want to use the hand drier, you have to stand right next to the person using the potty. If you’re using the potty and you want to grab something to clean up, you’re going to have to stretch your hand up quite a bit. And what’s with the curved metal railings everywhere? Is this the wheelchair-accessible bathroom?
The Worst Security Gate Ever
At first glance, there’s nothing too wrong with this gate. It’s just a gate with a little keypad next to it...what’s the issue? But then you realize that it wouldn’t be very good at its job of keeping certain people out if it’s literally built like a ladder. Seriously, look at that – even a child could climb that sort of thing, and they probably do on a regular basis.
We’re not sure where this gate is found or what it’s guarding, but we’d put a little bit of money on it being security for an apartment or homes of some other kind. The people who live there probably aren’t all that pleased at their safety being risked in this way. Maybe there’s another door beyond that isn’t as easy to circumvent.
The Ol’ Switcheroo
Let’s talk about the positives first. We’ve never been able to use a urinal while in a stall with a door that we could lock. If you are the kind of person who can get a little gun-shy, this is going to be a dream come true. You can step inside, close the door, and relax while emptying yourself out.
Now let’s switch over to the bad side of things. You’re a brave man indeed if you want to use that sit-down toilet. We’re guessing it’s the kind of thing you only use while you’re under a whole lot of pressure and don’t have any other options for dealing with your issue. The person in charge of installing these two seems to have not had enough coffee while doing this work.
Roller Coaster Ride
Another photo showing the daily struggles that people with disabilities may come across. This one looks pretty dangerous whether the person is going up or down the slope.
Hopefully, no one tries either option, unless they're in for a little action, because this is a roller coaster ride.
Why is This Door Always Locked?
This picture looks like it was taken inside a university or college, and as someone who has been in those kinds of buildings, let’s just say this isn’t the craziest piece of architecture you can find. Behind that door is some kind of art studio or science lab that has always had a door there that always stays locked. And every once in a while, some student realizes that it’s the same door that could potentially plunge him or her to death if it were opened.
But there’s also an elevator right below it, so maybe it leads to an elevator shaft, and it’s a remaining piece from an era when stairs led to the second level instead of an elevator. Most universities are just cobbled-together construction projects, so this makes sense.
The Fine Art of Fencing
Yes, obviously, this is stupid, but think about all the decisions that the people making the fence had to go through in order to come to this result. The people who made the path put it there, and the people who made the fence put it there. That left the fence people, who could make the fence too far back, or they’d have to maneuver around the tree – not impossible, but a lot of hard work and destined to look terrible.
Or they’d have to create a little fence alcove for the bench, which would be the same additional work and cost. Or, they could do what they eventually went with, which was to put the fence between the bench and the path, no matter how many issues that causes.
Where the Parents Store the Cookies
There are a couple more images that went along with this one, and they show that even a grown man (height unknown) can barely reach into this ceiling-high drawer. And not only do you need to pull it out and reach inside, but you also have to pull the little cabinet door open first, just to open the drawer!
We understand if the kitchen had a little bit of space left to use, but why the extra layer of security for something that people will hardly be able to get into anyway? This is a great place for the parents to store their treats since even if they remember they’re in this hidden compartment, it will probably be too much work to get them out.
Stairway to...Ceiling?
That section up there is called a loft, and they’re really popular in places like Sweden and Denmark, which is one of several countries in which we bet we’d find this little domicile. There’s nothing terrible about this picture, but the stairs leading up to the loft give us a little bit of pause. Anybody except for a child will have to crouch down pretty low in order to not crack their skull open.
If you aren’t paying attention while you’re going up there, you could very easily end up on the floor below with a bad bruise. It’s just supposed to be a little relaxation nook, but we honestly feel like it would work better if there was a ladder leading up to it. Those floating stairs look a little wobbly, too.
Required by Law
Yes, it’s a good thing that there is a railing there since there are some people who need a little bit of support going up even two steps, but it’s so tiny it’s hard not to laugh at it a little bit. It’s also painted a bright orange, which makes it stand out a little more and draws plenty of undue attention to it.
All evidence points to this railing being a requirement by building code law, but we feel like they could have done something a little different. Honestly, a railing that small might not even be all that safe – if you’re falling and grab for the railing, you might just miss it. Maybe they did the bare minimum as a sort of protest to needing a railing at all.
The Handyman’s Least-Favorite Ladder
Yes, this building is incredibly narrow, and leaves us with a lot of questions, like...why? Are people supposed to live in there? Is it just a front for a bunch of shorter buildings, and the city wanted to make things look better? But leaving all of those questions aside, how about that ladder on the side, huh? That thing must be quite the struggle to climb if you aren’t used to it.
There are far worse ladders in the world, such as the kinds that are attached to radio towers that have no backs and go up a tenth of a mile or something like that, but this one still stands out due to being in a city. Maybe the guy who climbs it gets a little extra in his check for that shift.
Your Throne Awaits
What a strange placement for a toilet, and just imagine how odd it must feel to be doing your numbers from above like that.
This doesn't look like the safest arrangement either. And again, where's the handicap accessibility?
Only in an Emergency
It says right on the door to only open it in the case of an emergency. We assume that emergencies don’t include really needing to use the bathroom, having a fish in a plastic bag, or not knowing where you parked your car. Yes, no matter what you do, you shouldn’t go through this door unless you want to set off that alarm.
It’s a good thing you can literally just walk around the end of the wall, two feet away. Odds are this is another bit of building oddness that was required by codes that the building had to follow, but it’s still pretty silly. Plus, it does still have a purpose – it still sets off an alarm to let other people know there is danger.
Apartment Tunnel
As weird as this may look, we wouldn't really call this a fail. If you absolutely love and trust your neighbor, why not give them 24/7, easy access to your apartment?
Pretty convenient if you ask us. Are there any family members or friends you'd build such a thing with?
We Don’t Understand How it Was so Hard
Seriously, how did this happen? We don’t know if it was the tree planter who messed up or if it was the people who were in charge of creating the path and planters, but somebody really dropped the ball. And it wasn’t just once, either! The tree in the foreground was put in the wrong spot, but the tree that’s farther back is also in the wrong spot!
Somebody REALLY dropped the ball here. The only thing we can think of to make some sense of this is those open spots are where new trees are going to be placed. But we don’t think the already-established trees are going to be moved. It’s pretty tough to get trees that have taken root, especially if they’re under all that pavement.
Feel Like We’re Forgetting Something
Why, that’s quite the charming balcony, isn’t it? Nice railing, a good size, and the windows around it have a nice look to them, too. But...there’s something missing. We’re having a little bit of trouble putting our finger on it, but we feel like it’s just not finished yet. Like they didn’t make something right, or forgot to add something.
Well, whatever, we’ll figure it out while we’re sitting after a long day of work, with a nice glass of tea in our hands and the sun on our face. Or maybe we’ll enjoy it during the morning, getting prepped for a big day, enjoying a sip of coffee and a crossword puzzle before we bend to our tasks. Yeah, that sounds pretty nice. One way or another, we can’t wait to enjoy this balcony.
Washing the Benches
Benches and a whole lot of water don’t usually mix, but we feel like this kind of thing might actually be intentional. When it rains, this spout dumps the water down onto a bench...which we guess is what happens to most benches when it rains. We don’t know how this little combination happened, but it probably wasn’t intentional. Water pouring onto that specific spot for so long is going to wear the bench out unevenly.
Even if this wasn’t intentional, why would the water spout pour the water onto the street like that? Does it then flow into a gutter and from there into a sewer? Perhaps, but we can’t see it in this picture. Of course, if you’re sitting out in the rain, you're getting wet one way or another.
Elf School
There are a bunch of old schools that have these strange half-doors that are jammed up into the ceiling. As a child, you might think that they’re in that place so the janitors could get up to the mechanical parts of the school – the heaters, the air conditioning, even the elevators, or things like that. But, apparently, there are a lot of schools that just have these doors as walls just jammed up into the ceiling.
Sometimes the building was just made incorrectly. There are tons of school buildings out there that were kind of thrown together in order to make more room for the kids that were entering the school system. Thankfully, this little thing does nothing to make learning harder or more difficult, and they give the school a good amount of character, too.
Side Quest Required
We’re going to go ahead and guess that this wall doesn’t actually open, no matter how much we wished it did, since then we’d probably see the hinges in the picture or see what was inside. But, then again, why does it have not one but TWO locks implanted into the bricks? This is like in “Doom,” when you go around pressing the spacebar button on the walls trying to find secrets, but for this one, you’ll need a couple of keys.
We’re guessing a blue skull key and a red skull key. Maybe this was just some sort of prank that the buildings did because they felt like doing something fun. Maybe this was some kids who wanted to make something special for explorers. Or, maybe it’s a secret tunnel.
What a Great View
Windows in a bathroom are a contentious topic when it comes to builders. Do you have them in the shower but do you go with the translucent frosted glass? Do you have a window high up on the wall so that no nosy neighbors are able to peep in while mowing the lawn? And then there’s this window.
Yes, it turns out that this is actually supposed to be a window, which is pretty hard to tell. Is that just a wall on the other side? Is it a different building? We don’t know, but it turns out this bathroom window is pretty darn useless. It’s also hard to tell if this was a problem in the initial construction or design, or if it was something that happened later on.
That’s Where They Keep the French Fries
This weird door was discovered at a Wendy’s, and we’re a little surprised that a building like this one would have a door in such a place. A lot of these fast food buildings, from one company to the next, all follow the same basic blueprint. They want to leave as much space as possible for people to sit and eat, lots of space for the kitchen, space for the offices, space for the restroom, etc, etc.
Maybe that little room just has a bit of space for napkins and paper ketchup cups and drink lids. Maybe it’s locked because there’s nothing behind the door except for a bare wall. Maybe that’s where they get the toys from in a kid’s meal. Who’s to say?
Watch That First Step
Having the right kinds of windows and doors in a home is important not just for the obvious reasons. If you have a bedroom that’s on a low level and partially underground, you have to have a window that people will be able to use to escape in the case of a fire or a home invasion or when the scorpions have finally had enough of our guff.
But as for why there’s a door in the center of this wall, we’re not really sure. Maybe they wanted some way to run away from the house if they had a split-second need to go for a jog. We totally understand how useful a door might be right there, but we think the people who made it could have done a lot to make the dismount a bit easier.
Must Protect the Trash
Don’t worry, everybody, your trash, and recycling are safe from harm, no matter who is trying to get in. As long as they’re the proper kinds of vagabonds and ragamuffins who use the door, like as proper. Sure, this gate doesn’t really look like it’s going to stop anybody who really wanted to get at the garbage, but we’re not all that sure if that’s actually the point.
We think the point of this odd free-standing gate is to block people’s SIGHT of the garbage and recycle bins. It’s certainly not going to stop the smell, that’s for sure. We also don’t think that there’s any kind of lock or security on the opening of the gate, so we’re fairly certain that it’s just to keep the garbage out of sight.
How Do You Get Stairs Wrong?
We, as humans, have been building homes and other structures for a long, long time. It’s been going on for millennia, all over the world. And yet this kind of thing still happens. Somebody really made a house that had a staircase descend into the lower level and stop right in front of a bare wall.
They also managed to put a door right next to it, which tells us that they made the lower level first, including the door, and then they made the upper level, and then they realized they had a big, big problem. Perhaps the biggest tragedy is that otherwise, this house looks quite nice – the size of that landing is oddly small, but we feel like that’s because of the staircase placement. All the materials look quite nice.
We’re Not Sure That’s Up to Code
For some reason, stairs are a big issue when it comes to building. When you’re sticking with two dimensions, things are usually pretty clear, but add in that third dimension and a lot of people start to have some issues. Stairs really don’t seem like the kind of thing that would be tough to figure out, but as this picture tells us, sometimes, people mess up. This guy knows what’s up. He’s laughing a little bit.
He’s probably not the one responsible, but he might be a designer or architect or something like that. However, if he is the person responsible for designing this mess, then maybe he shouldn’t be all that happy about it. Or maybe he’s the person who wants to own the house after it’s done, and he’s wondering how much this is going to cost him.