If there's one thing that the advent of modern cities has taught us, it's that architecture is one wacky thing. Buildings range from beautiful to terrifying to hideous to completely outlandish, and people, somehow, live in them. So, to celebrate the rich and incredible world of modern architecture and design, here are some of the internet's most rage-inducing yet hilarious construction errors. And yes, people actually got paid to build these!
When Your Ceiling Fan Is Only for Decoration
There's one thing we can be totally sure of right here - that ceiling fan hasn't been doing anybody any favors recently. Seriously, that thing is totally impractical. There can be no doubt about that. We wonder how this total catastrophe of design even came to be. Like, who in their right mind would ever go up to that fan and think to himself: we should really put a pole here.
Or was it the other way around? Did the pole precede the fan? Either way, this chicken-and-egg situation only ends in stupidity. Whoever built this should feel very, very ashamed.
This Is What an "Open Door Policy" Means
We're pretty sure that this is what pretty much every boss out there truly means when he says that he has an "open door" policy; sure, that door may be open, but it just leads to a featureless brick wall. Speaking of a featureless brick wall - what on Earth is going on in that building right there? This seems like something out of a Kafka novel or something like that.
So we're just going to go ahead and guess that the person who designed this didn't really care that much about the building he was designing. If he did, we wouldn't have gotten the pleasure of witnessing this.
Not Much Left to the Imagination
You know, there's bad design, which we kind of hate, and there's malicious design, which we actually kind of appreciate for what it is. Sure, this is twisted. It's almost evil, really, to make a window in that door exactly where the toilet seat is. Yet, we cannot help but praise whoever made this for his or her creative, diabolical mind. Like, this is actually so evil it's somehow funny.
Now, sure, you may be thinking to yourself - who on Earth would ever use this? We'll tell you exactly who - people who are in too much of a rush to use the bathroom that they don't notice the viewing slot.
Quick Outfit Check
This guy went for a quick little fit check just before leaving the house. You know, just to make sure that he looks nice and that everything's good, but what wasn't "good" was his mirror. Just look at that thing. What on Earth happened there? Why does his mirror make him look like a folded-up picture of himself? This is totally unacceptable and we shall be taking this up with the mirror committee.
This guy should definitely look into a replacement mirror. This kind of mirror shenanigans cannot be left untreated. Mirrors are supposed to reflect us properly and appropriately, not distort our features into a goofy mess.
A Bike Lane Straight to Heaven
If you didn't know by now, it's high time somebody informed you - some bike lanes just aren't to be trusted. It's a sad fact of our world that bike lanes are so untrustworthy in some places, even places that pride themselves on their cycling infrastructure. Not much can be done about that, at least not immediately, so we bike riders are just going to have to accept it.
That being said, this bike lane is exceptionally nefarious. Like, what were they even thinking when they made it? How could their sense of decency allow them to make something like this?
A Fireman's Balcony
So the only person who could truly make use of this strange balcony would be a fireman, which is an odd thought in and of itself. What makes us say this is the, naturally, the huge air vent splitting the balcony in half. Now, while this may seem like a nuisance to the average, untrained eye, a fireman would utilize that air vent to slide down to the ground floor.
Now, this is us just going on a bit of a tangent here, but can we talk about just how underappreciated firemen are? They're not only (literal) lifesavers, they're cool as heck.
Clock Inception Time
We're not quite sure what the idea behind this clock inside of a clock was, but we do have to admit that we actually like it. Like, it's definitely not very practical; it would make much more sense to have a regular clock, but it's cool. It almost seems like some kind of surrealist art piece, something Salvador Dali would possibly paint or create. So, our verdict: cool but totally impractical.
So as far as construction errors go, this is definitely one of the better ones. Sure, it'll have us scratching our heads, but that head-scratching would be out of intrigue, not disapproval.
Experimental Art Staircase
Ooh, now this is one artsy staircase. This is the type of staircase you build in an art exhibition at some gallery or modern museum, not one that you actually use for practical purposes (or even worse - in case of an emergency). That being said, whoever built this definitely didn't keep that in mind when he decided to attach his work of art to a red-brick building. Good for him, we guess.
Our theory is that the person who built this staircase right here wasn't just your regular, run-of-the-mill architect, but an artist desperate to give himself an audience by any means necessary.
Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Whose Hands Are the Wettest of Them All?
We're not quite sure why someone would ever hang a hand dryer on a mirror, but that's apparently what somebody did. We have no idea who that person was or what possessed him to do such a thing, but the fact that he did it is an inarguable fact of life. So, guess we're just going to have to make our peace regarding the fact that this design atrocity exists somewhere out there in the world.
But on a practical note, we do have to ask: why not just get rid of the mirror? It's not like there's a shortage of mirrors in that room. Come on, guys. You can do better than this.
Sweet, Sweet Irony
Buckle up y'all, because there's a lesson to be learned here. Whoever put up this sign definitely had the best in mind - they just tried to make sure that the cyclists had enough room in their own lane so that no fatal car accidents would occur. Good intentions, however unfortunate, do not always produce good results. This person just took up half that bike lane with their well-intentioned sign.
So the lesson to be learned here is that you should always practice what you preach, and that self-awareness is an invaluable resource. Two lessons for the price of one mistake!
Parkour Time
Whoever it is that has to get down there has got quite the task ahead of him. Frankly, we're not even sure how the people who made this actually managed to pull off such a feat, but that's old news by now. What we should be focusing on in the present is how on Earth is somebody supposed to get down (or, for all intents and purposes, up from) there?
Basically, the poor sucker who's going to have to go down that thing better start working on his parkour skills, because that's the only thing that'll help him at this point.
Walled Off
Now, we won't blame you for thinking that a staircase should lead to somewhere. That is, after all, what most staircases do. This staircase, however, isn't like most staircases. It's all weird, and what's weird about it is that it leads to completely nowhere. There's a huge wall blocking it off in the middle. This begs the question: why on Earth was a staircase even built there in the first place?
It really seems as though people are allergic to planning things out. And by people, we of course mean interior designers and architects. Like, this obviously showcases such a huge lapse in judgment.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
So the story behind this little door right here is that its owners paid a hefty sum to get a really advanced, supposedly secure door that had both a lock and a digital locking mechanism. The only problem is that any crook or ill-meaning criminal with half a brain could just climb over that fence using the slots between the bars to balance his feet. So yeah, not the most secure door on the block.
It's funny how people sometimes really put a lot of thought into a really bad idea. It seems like this extra-secure door is exactly one of those cases.
Keep Calm and Don't Have an Emergency
Okay, so the thing with emergencies is that they really aren't one of those things you can plan ahead. That's why they are emergencies. If you could schedule them, they probably wouldn't be very urgent, which would make them not an emergency. But the person who wrote this sign right here wasn't hearing it; he just refused to accept the fact that an emergency could happen there. Now that's weird.
But imagine a world where we could actually plan out emergencies - wouldn't that just be great? We'd schedule a heart attack at lunch and a fire breaking out in the evening!
Just... Why?
Why would a hill require a bunch of concrete stairs to be built smack dab in the middle of it? We have no idea. Is this supposed to help someone? Possibly? We can't imagine who. Like, the stairs aren't wheelchair accessible, so it's not about that. Maybe whoever designed this just really, really hates natural declines of elevation or something like that. Truth be told, this one has utterly stumped us.
What we can say about this staircase is that it does, however, look incredibly funny. Like, look at it- it's so weird and out of place. That alone is enough to earn our approval.
Top Tier Microwave Door Placement
Microwaves are funny things, aren't they? They blast your food with copious amounts of radiation; they make funny bell noises when they're done; they never cook things the way they should; and for some reason, people never know how to fit them into their kitchen properly. We're not sure how people manage to live with their dysfunctional microwaves, and yet, nevertheless, they do. Hats off to them, we guess.
Basically, what we're saying is that this person really should think about investing in a different microwave. Or not, it's his or her problem, not ours.
Just A Bit of Redneck Engineering
Some problems require creative solutions. Other issues demand not only creative solutions but also cheap ones. It seems as though the original poster of this photo, the one who mended his shower cap with a can of what appears to be either beer or soda, really felt the spirit of MacGyver flowing through him. Well, guess if it works it works, even if it does look a bit strange.
We do hope that whoever built this followed through with a little aesthetic make-over. It'd be a shame to to leave things looking like this. Especially after he took the time to actually make sure the thing works.
This Sign Is Lacking Confidence
This sign could definitely use a shot of confidence. He seems to be unsure as to what he's trying to say. What he needs is just a friendly little pep talk, an ego boost if you will. That's all he's lacking. After all, confidence is key. It's as they say - fake it till you make it. Somebody really should be telling all this to the sign right here. He needs to hear it.
Jokes aside, whoever painted this sign deserves some kind of award. It's just so funny and weird. Or perhaps, somebody painted a new sign over the old sign without bothering to cover up the old one?
Doug Needed It Spelled Out for Him
Look we don't want to be pointing out any accusatory fingers here, but it seems as though someone hasn't been doing his job properly. We're looking at you, Doug! You fiend, you! Looks like somebody had to cover for you as usual. The only question we have is this: when will Doug ever learn the virtues of personal responsibility? He has a lot of growing to do, that much is for certain.
Luckily, the person who put this sign not only had a drive for vengeance, but he also had a bit of a sense of humor. Thanks, whoever you may be, for making us laugh.
They're Dueling
It's high noon everybody. These toilets are going to be checking who's the quickest drawer in the stall. That is, at least, what the person who designed this toilet made it look like. We're really not sure what kind of avant-garde lifestyle that person had in mind, but we've never, not in our entire lives, seen a toilet stall with two toilets inside. Definitely a new one for us.
Like, the amount of people who could ever be comfortable using this stall with another person has got to be so minuscule that it defeats the entire purpose of building such a thing.
V for Vendetta
Oh, now that's what we call secure working practices. We're pretty sure we know how this is going to end for the guy on that ladder - it will end in tragedy and perhaps also severe bodily harm. It may also be funny. But at least the guy's got his helmet on, right? It truly is as they say - safety first! We'll be keeping him in our thoughts and prayers.
So the lesson to be learned here is that you shouldn't imitate this. This, after all, is a safety hazard. Kids, please use your ladders as their humble creators intended for them to be used.
A Fire Escape From Life
So there's only one way down from that little emergency fire staircase - you better jump and pray to god something cushions your fall. We have no idea why on Earth somebody would ever put in the effort to start building an emergency, outdoor fire staircase and then just stop after like half a floor, but that's exactly what somebody did. Evidently, it does beg the question: why did he give up halfway through?
We're not sure how this came to be, we only know that its a total safety hazard and should be replaced with a proper, functional stairway. Or not, we're chill either way.
Best View in the House
Nothing beats paying for the worst seat in the house. Truly, that has got to be the worst feeling ever. It's not only that you get the worst view ever, but you also paid money for it. Insult to injury, as they say. We can't even imagine how this poor person felt when he realized he'd be staring at a blank column for a few hours. We're willing to bet he wasn't too stoked.
He did, however, manage to put a smile on for the camera; so he definitely managed to see the funny side of this situation, if only for a split second.
Nice Pole Hope Nobody Crashes Into It
Wow! That's a really nice pole! It's also very well-placed. Like, it's totally been positioned in such a way that no car could ever possibly crash into it. We are, naturally, being sarcastic. It's design choices like these that make us kind of get why the Titanic sank - somebody somewhere had a really poor lapse of judgment and placed a pole where it really shouldn't have been or something like that.
Poor engineering and urban design aside, that pole in the middle of the vista really does make for a nice little picture. It kind of looks like a surrealist painting of some sort.
Stairway to Heaven
Now that is one unnecessary staircase. Whoever built really should have realized that there were probably better uses of time than building a staircase leading to nowhere. Like, how does someone even go through the entire process of building this with a straight face? Wouldn't one get infuriated by the futility of the task? It's so absurd. We definitely wouldn't have been able to go through with such an ordeal.
The only explanation we have as to why something like this could ever be built was that the floor above this one was sealed off for some reason only god and a select few individuals will ever know.
That's Not How That Works
The thing about concrete mix is that you have to actually open the package in which the concrete mix comes and mix the concrete mix with the concrete. Yeah, sure, that seems kind of self-evident, doesn't it? Who doesn't know that? Well, you'd be surprised. This person right here, for instance, didn't actually take the concrete mix out of its packaging; he just stuck those bags right in there.
So there's a lesson to be learned here - what may appear to be trivial or self-evident to some people, may just be totally new to others. Guess you learn something every day.
That'll Hold It in Place
If you really love something, you've got to let it go. We don't blame the people who duct-taped this tree in its place. We really don't. We understand how hard it must be to say goodbye to a beloved tree. Sometimes, however, you just have no choice. That's the way life goes; things end, and some things begin anew. And there's not one thing any man or woman could ever do about that.
Whoever desperately tried to keep this tree from falling should take it upon himself or herself to move on. That's what the tree would have wanted; we're sure of it.
A Ruler Would Have Been Nice
It is these kinds of things that make us truly appreciate the importance of rulers and other ingenious devices used to make sure things are orderly and organized. Like, imagine driving down this squiggly road, always worrying about accidentally straying outside your lane because its borders are unstable. Doesn't that sound like a total nightmare? To us it definitely does. Makes us realize how terribly important proper road markers are.
We wonder if anybody has ever gotten into some kind of car crash due to the poor handling of this road. It definitely makes sense that something like that would happen.
As Seen in Jenga
It's probably a bad sign when the building you're trying to build resembles a kid's game where people purposefully take apart a crumbling, unstable structure. If we were walking down the street and saw something that looked like a Jenga tower, we would run as far away as we possibly could from that horrid thing before it came crashing down on all of us. That much is for certain.
This construction, if we can even call it a full-blown construction, is definitely a safety hazard. Somebody really should go and do something about that. That's just our opinion.
What's He Keeping in There?
So wait, how do you get out of there? Like, if the lock can only open from the outside, then how are the people inside supposed to get out? Perhaps they aren't meant to go out; perhaps they're meant to be kept in; perhaps it's not people that are being kept in there but something else. If that's the case, what could that thing be? We have so many questions.
Alas, it appears as though we shall never get any answers to those questions of ours. All we know is that this imrpovised locking system is absolutely and utterly insane.
Gotta Parachute Down to That Balcony
Damn, that balcony is low. It's like, way lower than the window, which probably doubles as that balcony's entrance. You're going to have to arm yourself with a parachute of some sort to get yourself down there, that much is for certain. Actually, we know exactly what they used to get down to that balcony; they used a portable cooler as a kind of step-ladder. That is, we must admit, pretty resourceful of them.
Still, the people living there should probably invest in an actual step ladder, or anything a bit more stable than a portable cooler for that matter. We see this whole thing turning tragic real quick.
Safety First
You know, we really don't want to be the ones to tell people how to do their jobs and whatnot, but there had to be a better way to go about doing whatever it is these three men are doing. Like, there's no way that the only way they could possibly stabilize that ladder was to have two people stand on the other end of it. That just doesn't make sense to us at all.
Let's just hope nobody got hurt in the making of this photo. But, let's face it - these guys are obviously professionals. They know what they're doing, and they didn't get hurt.
Can't Argue With That
This is some Tom Sawyer level of fence-painting shenanigans. Now, while Tom Sawyer at least had the decency of tricking other people into actually doing the boring work of painting a fence for him, whoever did this just completely gave up on painting the fence brown. Instead, he just painted the words"Brown Fence" on a completely white fence. Well, you can't say he didn't brown the fence. That much is true.
This is one of the most impressive cases of what people on the internet call "malicious compliance" - when do what you are told in such a way as to completely subvert its original purpose or goal.
They Just Kinda Winged It on This One
When it came to taking the measurements of this pipe so that they could drill a small hole for it to go through, whoever was responsible for that probably didn't actually go through the trouble of doing all that hard work. We reckon he just kind of assumed what the measurements were. And, if we're to go by this picture, it seems as though his assumptions were way, way off.
Like, they definitely could have done a better job with this pipe right here. It just isn't that big. You don't need a hole as big as the entire solar system to fit that pipe in.
This Is Actually Insanely Cool
So we're not sure what the intent behind this peculiar design really was, but we do know that it's actually really, really cool. Don't believe us? Well, just look at it! And if you still don't get it, maybe you should try looking again! There's something inexplicably sleek and intriguing about the way those two handrails curve into each other. We're willing to bet skaters would love to use this staircase for their tricks.
Now, don't get us wrong. Do we think this is a good, well-built, functional staircase? No. But that doesn't mean it isn't aesthetically pleasing, which can be just as important (if not more) sometimes.
That's One Way to Spice Up Your Job
The thing about jobs, in this pretty much goes for every job out there, is that no matter how interesting and challenging they are at first, tinngs tend to get stale as people fall into their routines. That's exactly why it's so important to try and actively spice things up here and there. This guy, for instance, totally gets it. He definitely could've done this with a bigger ladder or something.
But he didn't. Instead, he chose to do it in a cool (and kind of hazardous) way. And though we don't recommend putting yourself in danger like that, we commend his affinity for spicing things up.
Beautiful View, Ey?
So apparently, the story behind this picture goes a little something like this. This is a photo of an Airbnb apartment that has a window leading straight to a secret set of stairs, through which guests could sneak in and out of the house unnoticed by the neighbors. We're not totally sure why anyone would need such a feature in their Airbnb apartment, but it's out there if you're looking for it.
The world's a big place and it's totally full of surprises. That much is undeniable at this point. Then again, wouldn't it just be nicer to have a regular view instead of that secret staircase?
Almost Had It
They almost made a functional sewer! If only they had just made sure that the terrain leading up towards the sewer actually funneled the water down to the drain and away from it, then it would have been a perfect sewer drain! Seriously, this is like the most fundamental thing about making a drain - you have to make sure the water actually gets to it for it to drain anything.
We wonder where all that water's going to be going now. It definitely won't be going in the sewer, that's for sure - so where could it possibly end up? Guess we'll never know!
Nothing to See Here, Just A Road Tree
Yeah, move along people. Definitely nothing strange or out of place about this tree in the middle of the road here. Surely this tree won't cause any car accidents or other unfortunate and even tragic road-related misfortunes. That is, at least, what the people who planted this thing probably thought. How nobody came to chop up this bad boy and turn it into paper is completely and utterly beyond us.
So what we are saying here is that somebody, doesn't matter who it is as long as he has an axe, should definitely come and bring this tree down before it causes any fatal accidents.
What Did That Sign Just Call Us?
Look, we're not quite sure what a Sotp really is, but we do know one thing for certain - it can't be good. And what's worse is that sign is calling us just that. We won't just take this, will we? We've got to retaliate in some way. We're not how one could go about retaliating against a sign, but that's beside the point. We will not just sit there and take this abuse.
Okay, but on a serious note, this sign is actually crazy. Like, what is it even trying to say? Why is there an arrow on top of the O? So many questions.
Who Do You Call, An Electrician Or A Plumber?
This dangerous fail is one we don't even know where to begin fixing- that water doesn't look like it's stopping anytime soon, and to attempt to stop the water, you risk getting electrocuted. But where is the water even coming from?! We have so many questions that it would take a few specialists to answer, but one thing is for sure- nobody should be plugging anything into this outlet anytime soon.
We hope whatever amateur did this sticks to their day job, so nobody else has to deal with leaky electricity outlets.