“Unsafe For Morons But Safe For Everyone Else”: 40 Examples Of Architecture And Design That Don’t Prioritize Safety
Architecture and design are fascinating topics. There’s a seemingly never-ending discussion about the right balance between function and form, and we’ve recently written about the importance of ordinary beauty, as well as the disturbing trend of design homogenization. So naturally, we believe that aesthetics and artistic expression are definitely worth protecting. Here’s the issue though: should aesthetics trump safety?
To help you ponder this question, we’re featuring some of the very best posts from the r/ArchitectureForAdults subreddit (and a select few from elsewhere). It’s a niche online community that has a very unique perspective on the world. The members share photos and videos of truly gorgeous architectural and engineering designs that flirt with the line between safe and unsafe.
Scroll down and upvote your fave pics! Let us know which of these designs wowed you the most… and which scared the bejesus outta ya! If you’re anything like me and have a not-so-subtle fear of heights and falling, then you might want to hang on to your hats, Pandas. You’re about to get a big dose of vertigo. Go on ahead, I’ll be right with you, I just need to collect myself for a bit.
Bored Panda got in touch with an urban planner and designer from Sweden to get her opinion about the r/ArchitectureForAdults subreddit. She was kind enough to share her thoughts about safety and security in public spaces, as well as why the sub's tagline might not work in real life.
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Mural On The Back Of Acme Incorporated
The Swedish urban planner and designer asked Bored Panda to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of her job but was otherwise happy to shed some light on the entire debate regarding safety and security. Bored Panda was interested to get her opinion as to where safety lies in the hierarchy of priorities for someone like her.
"Safety is self-evidently a top priority to an urban designer. I doubt this hierarchy is ever questioned besides the occasional self-centered architect and designer who de-prioritize safety in favor of an original design. However, if a space is to be usable and livable, at least a threshold of safety compliance has to be achieved," she told us.
At the same time, the expert noted that there may be instances where governments might decide that, unfortunately, safety 'should' be overlooked for a "more cost-effective choice."
"Each government establishes and enforces safety guidelines that the built environment must follow," the expert told us, adding that the discussion then moves on to what safety entails to different governments and societies.
Almost Pulled A Michael Scott While Delivering Groceries Today
You Don‘T Need To Be Drunk Anymore
"The concept of safety and security in urban design conversations usually primarily refers to crime prevention (for example, decent night-time lighting, CCTV cameras), transportation infrastructure safety ( traffic accident prevention, walkability), or more social aspects like livability (how the environment can foster a healthier and more inclusive society)."
According to the urban planner, small-scale objects like railings on a bridge or warning signs "usually follow straightforward building regulations and do not generate much debate."
The expert stressed that the perception of whether or not something is 'safe enough' will differ from government to government and society to society.
"Stairs"
Dude, i'm blind from my left eye which means i have no depth perception, which causes me vertigo, in sum, i would probably die of broken neck syndrome on these stairs....
I have 20/20 vision and no vertigo problems, yet my corpse would be at the bottom of those stairs cushioning your fall.
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Yes they are why didn't any one mention that before.....🤣🤣🤣 You got a good point
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BP please give us details about these photos. Pandas are curious creatures.
I can’t even go further than the first rung on a ladder. Just like when I was a kid and friends went on the roller coaster….I’ll stay here and hold your bags.
Same. I was the official purse holder in my teen years.
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Do these stairs honestly go full 90 degrees? I mean, how do you even...?
Nope. Trees at the top left would be growing vertical. Turn your picture until they're vertical and the stairs on the right now have horizontal tops. Also look at how the chains hang. I call Photoshop
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I wouldn't go up those steps purely because a slight mis-step could be fatal. Never mind the other people you might take out on your way down. Anything that requires perfection from a human being is a big nope from me.
Hey I could see the rock climb them and not dieing
Load More Replies... http://adventurewithoutend.com/2013/07/27/stepping-up-the-climbing-of-hua-shan/
I'll just the normal stairs to the left and hope it leads somewhere pretty 😅
You guys might like this: https://www.elitereaders.com/most-dangerous-places-to-visit/
Thank you! You're right, that's an interesting article.
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Oh geez, new level of anxiety has been unlocked...
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I'm 100% blind in my left eye and have no depth perception only when sitting in front of my workbench, which is a pain, since I have to look at my workpiece from a few different perspectives just to drill a straight hole - but as soon as one starts moving, foreground objects move across one's field of view faster than the background objects, granting you depth perception. I can ride my motorcycle precisely at speed on all of our mountain roads, split lanes during high traffic, no problem. These stairs would not be difficult, partly because I would use my foot to make absolutely sure my eye was informing me correctly. Push those boundaries folks, 2D disappears as soon as you start moving.
Just looking at the chain to the guys left that is missing, should make everyone nope all the way to the leftest stairs...
Well, in their defense there are 3 options available, one of which is a very normal-looking set of stairs, so if someone incapable of climbing the extreme vertical ones tries to, then maybe natural selection is at play and taking them out of the equation! Just saying!
This is THE stairway to have at your front door if you're a hermit who also really hates people and wants all of them to know it.
http://adventurewithoutend.com/2013/07/27/stepping-up-the-climbing-of-hua-shan/ Location for those that want to know where this death trap is.
With stairs like this, where's the slide? Surely a slide would have been easier to build than that!!!!
Visiting the "Cliffs at Gila" was the first time I realized a) I'm terrified of heights and b) I have a pinched nerve in my neck causing vertigo. I literally had to have a friend "shadow" me while climbing down the stairs. They raised KIDS up there????
http://adventurewithoutend.com/2013/07/27/stepping-up-the-climbing-of-hua-shan/
Stairs/ladder They need a loose chain hanging right down the middle so you can use it while climbing/scaling
"Dangerous for morons, safe for everyone else". I think you mean safe for the able-bodied. Jesus, half of these designs would kill someone if they had an eye problem, or a bad knee.
If I could physically climb stairs like that, by theory, I could just rock climb lol. "Computer says ....NO"
Obviously you are meant to take the stairs to the left. Why are people talking like they have to climb the steep stairs?! lol The middle one is for mountain climbers and the right one is perhaps for natural selection. 😆
Obviously you supposed to take the stairs to the far left. The middle one is for mountain climbers and the right one is just to see how smart you are. lol
Nope. Nope. And nope again. A person would have to be in peak physical condition to tackle this and I wouldn’t take more than a couple of steps without a tether to keep me from falling killing my self and others.
Two things pop immediately to mind: 1.ye gads 2. Is that the way back down too?
Oooooooh! So THIS is what shoots and ladders would be like in real life!
I have recurring nightmares....this is one! The other one is looking for a useable toilet...
Are those even meant to be climbed? they were probably exposed to a lot more elements than the one at the far left.
According to Reddit these are “natural stairs” that are part of the Mt.Hua hike in China.
No. There'd better be another way out, or someone needs to drop a lot of supplies, because I'm going to be living there.
I've had nightmares like these, where the stairs are these steep. YIKES!
Nah, you see, well, you see, um, uh, I got nothin'. For real, though, is it a design choice, did plates shift somewhere? I actually really want to know.
China, Hua Shan. I'd say this photo is not even doing it justice, it's even wilder than that. So cool)
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This Staircase
Forget about walking on them while drunk, I couldn't do it if I was sober.
All These Houses Are Connected By A Pool
On the one hand, this is really cool. On the other, maintenance and changing water must be hell, and stupidly wasteful.
"Meanwhile, judging ethically, ‘safe enough’ cannot be achieved until there are absolutely no more traffic accidents and other types of injuries caused by the built environment. Therefore, an urban designer will always strive to achieve more safety."
The urban planner and designer also added that she sees an issue with the tagline that the r/ArchitectureForAdults subreddit uses, about how only 'morons' would feel unsafe. "Adults, too, can suffer from clumsiness. Even intelligent adults are not safe from this curse."
In The 20’s, Fiat Had A Test Track On Top Of Their Production Warehouse
Just Don’t Swing It Side To Side Too Much
At the time of writing, r/ArchitectureForAdults had exactly 3,761 members. We hope that the community grows and expands over time because the content they share is very interesting. It’s also good mental prep for when you go traveling abroad!
You can’t expect every single place to have the exact same safety standards that you’re used to. You have to focus and not wander about daydreaming when you’ve got tiny stone steps in front of you, railings that don’t even come up to your knees, and double-decker buses that you can just hop on by grabbing the pole.
From the perspective of r/ArchitectureForAdults, we shouldn’t have to sacrifice beauty and ingenuity for the sake of safety. The subreddit claims that all of these designs are “unsafe for morons but safe for everyone else.”
Though, personally, I feel like it’s ridiculous to have railings too low. Safety and beauty can coexist, you don’t necessarily have to sacrifice one for the other, I feel. And, to be honest, just because a design is unique doesn't automatically make it beautiful.
Construction Of The Hindenburg- Yes, Those Are Ladders
These Obstacles Are Almost Invisible On The Bike Lane
What Was Their First Idea, Stairs Made Made From Piles Of Rusty Nails?
Well this actually makes sence If you want to cover all your bases, off you fall down a flight of stairs you may brake your neck and die but its not a sure thing, but here it is, even if you don't die from a broken neck, sure as f**k you Will die from brain trauma, after hitting those boulders with your head...
Whatever your feelings towards safety, you can’t deny that there are certain minimalist trends sweeping the world. Designs are starting to look and feel homogenized. Not just in architecture and in corporate art but also in urban spaces, as well as corporate logos. Everything’s starting to feel a bit too functional, with less emphasis on the form.
Consumer psychology specialist Matt Johnson, a professor at Hult International Business School and Harvard University, very recently explained to us why we’re seeing a certain level of design homogenization, especially in terms of brand logos. He saw a few reasons for this trend that has led to fewer unique designs being used.
“The first is that as we move towards a more digital environment, there’s a need to make brand logos as legible and as easy to identify as possible. The consumer’s attention is strained even more in the online world, so logos can’t afford to be disfluent or challenging to process,” he told Bored Panda earlier.
Meteora Monasteries, Greece
The Storseisundet Bridge In Norway
This 1930s Design Let You Hang Your Baby Over The Side Of A Building In A Cage
Fresh air,.. check. Sunshine,.. check. Pigeon droppings,.. check. Lifelong acrophobia,.. check.
“Secondly, there also may be a growing realization of the ‘fluency effect’: the relatively robust behavioral science phenomenon that the more fluent a font is written in, the more likable and trustworthy the message. As more brands become familiar with this phenomenon, they may want to test new, more fluently written logos to capitalize on this effect,” the professor told us.
Step Out Of A Bathtub Down A Flight Of Stairs, Anyone?
This Architect Accidentally Built A Death Ray That Melts Cars And Fries Eggs... Again
The Cannonball Loop Waterslide, A Slide So Dangerous It Was Shutdown Almost Immediately After Opening
“While this logo trend is seen across a wide array of industries, there may be only one or two within each industry that may make this change, since if everyone did, they would not be differentiating as well. There may be a broader implication of this: if companies begin to recognize that consumers, at least in digital environments, prefer more basic logo designs, brands will rush to be the first in their industry to do so to plant their flag first. While all brands want to be at the razor’s edge of consumer preferences, no brand wants to be seen as the copycat of their competitor,” Professor Johnson noted.
Yes, It’s A Door
Hope You Don’t Drop Anything
On The Floor Of Doctor's Office. If You Trip On It, You're In The Right Place
Ok, I own up. I love this but it would have to be on a part of the floor where no one walks.
“I imagine the general trend will persist, especially in the digital environment. If it turns out to be the case that more basic, legible logos are more suitable for online preferences, we may also move to a system where each major brand has at least two distinct brand logos: one in the digital world, and one for the physical world. This is already happening to a certain extent since many brands that have gone to a more basic font haven’t completely jettisoned their originals and retained them for specific uses,” the consumer psychology specialist said.
A Footbridge With Knee-High Sides
Indian Stepwells | The Construction Of Stepwells Is Mainly Utilitarian, Though They May Include Embellishments Of Architectural Significance, And Be Temple Tanks
Stairwell In A Hotel I Stayed In
I will probably be gripping on to the handrail like a baby koala riding the back of a cat walking across a tightrope upside down while having fire being thrown at it while being 500.00000000000000001million metres above a pool full of dolphins and skinwalkers.
“Since branding is fundamentally about differentiation, there will be an upper limit to how much brand logos can homogenize and go together on a single dimension. It’s great to adapt to new consumer preferences, but if every brand does that in the same way, it fails to differentiate in a significant way. This is why I think there is a ‘race’ within each industry to be the first to do so, which then makes things more difficult for their competitors: should they persist in making their logo more basic, at the risk of looking like a copycat? Or should they cede that positioning and devise a way to differentiate by some other means?” he mused.
Oh No
Window That Turns Into A Balcony
I Don't Even Know Where To Begin
I actually like this a lot. I would fall and die the very first time I used the stairs, but I do like the aesthetic
Looks Too Easy To Slip And Fall
the Rakotz-Bridge was not intended to be used - stepping onto it is prohibited. It was only built to look nice as a garden architecture highlight.
Wavy Stairs To Make Going Downstairs More Fun
The way I'd step in every wrong spot and plummet down the stairs
Hammock Bathtub
My big concerne would be : how to clean under it with all of the dusty Peebles ?
This Infinity Pool
Emergency Exit Looks Like Emergency By Itself
If there's a fire or anything you just have to do some parkour! Super easy when there is impending doom! :D
I Always Wanted A Treehouse
What Kind Of Stairs Is That Even????
These stairs are great. Instead of each tread using up the width of the staircase, you can fit in two steps. This is wonderful for confined spaces. It takes up about the same space as a ladder, but it's steps instead of rungs. The photograph has been taken from the top of the stairs, looking down. The steps are flat triangles. Start of with your right foot, then left on the next step down, continue until the bottom of the stairs.
Train To Machu Picchu With A Balcony
Skyslide At OUE Skyspace In Los Angeles, CA | An Outdoor Glass Slide That’s Attached To The Exterior Of The U.S. Bank Tower. The Skyslide Is 45 Feet Long, About Four Feet Wide And Made Entirely With 1.25-Inch Glass. Visitors Glide From The 70th To The 69th Floor. Now Permanently Closed
Internal Staircase For People Who Like Every Trip To Be An Adventure, And No Longer Have Children
Who needs kids when you can have... ✨Fancy stairs!✨ Now with even less railing!
These Urinals Where You Can Look Out To The Street. Windows Aren’t Tinted At All So You Can Also See In. Even Has A Sink On Top Of Each One
The Statue Of Liberty’s Torch, New York, NY
The torch has been closed since the "Black Tom" explosion of July 30, 1916, which was one of the largest acts of sabotage to our nation prior to the event of pearl harbor on December 7, 1941
It was closed because shrapnel from the explosion struck the statue, and caused damage to the arm. Visitors were putting undue stress on that part of the statue anyway, and the decision was made to close it off. You can visit the original torch (replaced in 1986) in the museum.
Adult Transportation
Note: this post originally had 64 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
I think this should be architecture created BY morons and unsafe for reasonable, logical people
Architects trying to be original and clever but just big fails.
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As is the case with so many boredpanda threads - regurgitation of previous posts.
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yeah I got tingles just looking at some of the pix.
Load More Replies... As someone with an unstable gate due to childhood meningitis I resent being called a "moron" for having common sense...
I was half way through when I realized it said morons and not Mormons.
PSA: Please invest in sturdy, broad and easily walkable stairs with safety railings. Fancy designer stairs are all well and good until you have a stroke (or any other medical emergency) on the top floor and we need to carry you down on a stretcher. When we trip and start falling down the fancy stairs, the standard human reflex is, unfortunately, dropping the stretcher - and you tied to it, to prevent breaking our own noses. Sincerely, your local paramedics and firefighters
Don't any of the people who created the crazy staircases have a building code inspector?
Not everything is a "fail." Many of the old ones, such as the cage for babies to be outside the window (it was securely mounted to the inside of the window frame), was based on the knowledge they had AT THE TIME. We can't rightly judge what was done back then based on our "superior" knowledge in the 21st century. As for those two sets of wooden stairs that appear to be "off," they're Alternate Step stairs, primarily meant for tiny houses. Very easy to use, actually, and safe as long as there's a railing present.
A lot of these are unsafe for people with disabilities. Are disabled people getting called morons now?
Shame this article couldn't have been written without ableist slurs.
Can I just hate the "unsafe for morons safe for everyone else" title here. Most of these are unsafe for everyone and especially for anyone with even the slightest disability. Bad knee? you're a moron. Vertigo? you're a moron. MS or CP? morons extra. Can someone change the incredibly ableist title here please? I don't think I'm the only one here who's offended by getting called a moron for not physically being able to get on top of some very unsafe looking ladders. The title should be more on the lines of "Unsafe design" or something
I think this should be architecture created BY morons and unsafe for reasonable, logical people
Architects trying to be original and clever but just big fails.
Load More Replies... As is the case with so many boredpanda threads - regurgitation of previous posts.
Load More Replies... yeah I got tingles just looking at some of the pix.
Load More Replies... As someone with an unstable gate due to childhood meningitis I resent being called a "moron" for having common sense...
I was half way through when I realized it said morons and not Mormons.
PSA: Please invest in sturdy, broad and easily walkable stairs with safety railings. Fancy designer stairs are all well and good until you have a stroke (or any other medical emergency) on the top floor and we need to carry you down on a stretcher. When we trip and start falling down the fancy stairs, the standard human reflex is, unfortunately, dropping the stretcher - and you tied to it, to prevent breaking our own noses. Sincerely, your local paramedics and firefighters
Don't any of the people who created the crazy staircases have a building code inspector?
Not everything is a "fail." Many of the old ones, such as the cage for babies to be outside the window (it was securely mounted to the inside of the window frame), was based on the knowledge they had AT THE TIME. We can't rightly judge what was done back then based on our "superior" knowledge in the 21st century. As for those two sets of wooden stairs that appear to be "off," they're Alternate Step stairs, primarily meant for tiny houses. Very easy to use, actually, and safe as long as there's a railing present.
A lot of these are unsafe for people with disabilities. Are disabled people getting called morons now?
Shame this article couldn't have been written without ableist slurs.
Can I just hate the "unsafe for morons safe for everyone else" title here. Most of these are unsafe for everyone and especially for anyone with even the slightest disability. Bad knee? you're a moron. Vertigo? you're a moron. MS or CP? morons extra. Can someone change the incredibly ableist title here please? I don't think I'm the only one here who's offended by getting called a moron for not physically being able to get on top of some very unsafe looking ladders. The title should be more on the lines of "Unsafe design" or something
