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Elevators are generally an under-used design space, with the vast majority of them retaining a functional, box-and-button style that offer little in the way of visual appeal. Luckily however, there are some who recognize the potential of this little room-on-the-move, and get as creative with the humble elevator as they would with any other space!
We here at Bored Panda celebrate these out-of-the-box thinkers, and have compiled a list of the coolest, craziest and cleverest elevators out there. From aquariums and shuffle buttons to scary floor designs, this list is sure to uplift you! Scroll down below to check them out for yourself, and don't forget to upvote your favorites!
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#1
The Elevator Ride At The World Trade Center Tour Shows You The Architectural History Of New York
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#2
This Elevator Is Out Of Service
#3
Creative Poster Placement
#4
Aquarium Elevator In Berlin, Germany
#5
This Elevator With An Additional Alarm Button Near The Ground In Case You Can’t Get Up
#6
This Elevator Sign
#7
This Elevator Has Buttons You Can Kick
#8
Winter Wonderland Inside Of An Elevator
#9
Came Across One Of The Most Fun Elevators I've Ever Seen
#10
This Centre For Long Term Ill Elders Redesigned Their Elevators To Create Less Anxiety And Avoid Patients Running Away
#11
Steam Powered Elevator, St Petersburg, Russia
#12
Elevator Floor Painting
#13
How Accurate Is This Elevator Claim?
#14
Fancy Elevator With Seats Inside
#15
My Hotel In Odessa (Ukraine) Tells You Which Day It Is By Changing The Elevator Carpet Every Day
Beth Arriaga 7 years ago
A lot of cruise ships do this - vacation makes it hard to remember. That, or all the little drinks with umbrellas....
#16
The Colorful Button Panel On The Elevators Of Our Children’s Hospital
#17
This Elevator Has A Call Button 30 Ft Away So The Doors Will Be Open By The Time You Get To Them.
Rafaella Bueno 7 years ago
Why is it lazy to not want to wait more if you can avoid it? There's zero merit in just standing there waiting.
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Max 7 years ago
*doesn't see the button* *looks in the usual spot for it* *panics because I'd never think to look 30 feet away* *waits for someone, anyone to get off on this floor* *falls asleep on the floor* *gets woken up by the janitor who takes pity on me and gives me coffee to sustain me* This is my prison now. I can not leave. So I will roam these halls for the rest of my life looking for scraps to eat. H E L P M E P L Z.
Sarah Miller 7 years ago
Great comment! But there's buttons right by the door too lol.
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Amy Broderick 7 years ago
someone watched a lot of horror and action movies in which people got to the button and had to wait while the killer and/or monster was catching up to them
Cora Woodcook 7 years ago
but what if you don't see it and have to go back or you're in a another area?
MADELEINE KIMBALL 6 years ago
Seems like it should be in a design fails list... I mean, if you didn't know, you could spend forever searching for it, and then eventually just give up and take the stairs. Wait...IT"S A TRAP!!
Ingrid Tsai 7 years ago
I've seen those before, but there were only those that were farther away, and although this didn't happen to me, if the elevator is too full and you need to wait for the next round, you would need to walk all the back there again.
Teresa Dougan 7 years ago
If you are disabled you will still miss the elevator. I hope they have the button at the elevator door too
FuzzyWuzzy 7 years ago
Yeah but think of the first time you enter this building, you wouldn't know that the button was there. So u might never realize it. It needs a sign near it too to be really helpful.
#18
The Elevators In My Office Building Have An Umbrella Sign That Lights Up If It's Raining Outside (Osaka, Japan)
Christopher Columbus 7 years ago
So many questions! The office has no windows? The ride down is slower than the change of weather? People get to feel reassured faster that they brought an umbrella or frustrated that they didn't? Why???
#19
This Elevator Shows How Close To Capacity It Is Based On The Weight Of The Riders
Andycat >_< 7 years ago
I’m so fat when I walked in front of the tv my sister missed 3 episodes of her favorite show fuller house
#20
This Elevator Door...
Dr. Cheri Hayes 7 years ago
Interesting signage on the left near the buttons - "UP" says "Adderall, Ritalin, Cocaine". "DOWN" says "Xanax, Valium, Percocet".
#21
Now That's One Ingenious And Well-Placed Movie Poster
#22
This Elevator Wants You To Do Your Math
#23
The Twilight Zone In East Hotel Elevator
#24
This Elevator Has A Shuffle Button
#26
Some Slick Bastard Defaced This Elevator
#27
This Elevator Is Worthy
#28
Hanging On To Dear Life On The Elevator Shaft
#29
Elevators In The Mercedes-Benz Museum In Stuttgart
#30
Up We Go. Industry City Elevator Art
#31
Fun Way To Decorate Elevator's Door
#32
Elevator Looking Like An Old Bathroom
#33
My Elevator Has An Infinity Button
#34
This Fairytale Winter Decoration In An Elevator
#35
Interesting Capsule Elevator In Terminal 2 Of Taoyuan International Airport
#36
Colorful Balloon-Filled Elevator
#37
Jump
SykesDaMan 7 years ago
The Mac Dad will make you! Daddy Mac will make you! Kris Kross will make you!
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What do you think ?
Unwelcomed Guest 7 years ago
Only just found out why elevators have mirrored walls ( tbh never really thought about it much), it is so people in wheelchairs can see when the doors open it is actually a standard in their design
Kristel 7 years ago
I did not know that either. And I am in a wheelchair. Did not think about it also. I always turn around in the elevator (after checking my make-up and hair for a few seconds lol) so I am facing the doors and 'drive' out more easily. Or when the elevator is crowded I 'drive' in backwards to begin with. So for me the mirror is just for checking how I look (as much people who can walk use it for also)
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Phoenix Kiula 7 years ago
None of these are design “solutions”. They’re funny, but misleading title.
Julie Lynn 7 years ago
Any idea that helps soothe the claustrophobic and people afraid of heights is a nice welcome. As long as it is under 10 flights and I have no baggage, I take the stairs. BUT, my mom doesn't like elevators for the above mentioned reasons and at 73, she is not able to run the stairs like she could before. I think all the ideas are welcome. It makes something that might be scary, FUN. And Taa-Daa, before you know it, you are at your desination..... The 3rd floor. :) A GREAT idea. Two thumbs UP! :) :)
okpkpkp 7 years ago
I've been stuck in a freight elevator at work on a Saturday 4 feet off the ground I can see out of the small, rectangle window in the outer doors. I used the phone and reached the state police. They called my boss, who wasn't answering and the fire department, the elevator dude and my wife at work and the TV news. Kidding about the news. 4 hours and the elevator guy finally showed and told me how to release the pin, and my arm got greased up to where it hooks into my shoulder. I got out and the boss, who by then had shown up to see where the hell I was, told me to take the rest of the day off. Monday at work, I was the talk of the building. It was freaky and I was unsteady when I got out but recovered quickly with a cold beer.
Miguel Garcia 7 years ago
My favourite elevator was the NY one that shows you the buildup of the city over the years. It must have been an extraordinary cost but they did it anyway, nice.
Holly Wilson 7 years ago
There use to be a Warner Bros. store on Fifth Ave in NYC. Three stories. The elevator was a glass one right on the corner of the building. As it rose up to the other floors, Superman appeared, seeming to fly the elevator up. Sadly I don't think it's there anymore.
Tommy Boylen 7 years ago
ME,? I JUST WANT TO GET TO MY FLOOR AND GET THE HECK OUT OF THESE WEIRD CONTRAPTIONS.
Unwelcomed Guest 7 years ago
Only just found out why elevators have mirrored walls ( tbh never really thought about it much), it is so people in wheelchairs can see when the doors open it is actually a standard in their design
Kristel 7 years ago
I did not know that either. And I am in a wheelchair. Did not think about it also. I always turn around in the elevator (after checking my make-up and hair for a few seconds lol) so I am facing the doors and 'drive' out more easily. Or when the elevator is crowded I 'drive' in backwards to begin with. So for me the mirror is just for checking how I look (as much people who can walk use it for also)
Load More Replies... Phoenix Kiula 7 years ago
None of these are design “solutions”. They’re funny, but misleading title.
Julie Lynn 7 years ago
Any idea that helps soothe the claustrophobic and people afraid of heights is a nice welcome. As long as it is under 10 flights and I have no baggage, I take the stairs. BUT, my mom doesn't like elevators for the above mentioned reasons and at 73, she is not able to run the stairs like she could before. I think all the ideas are welcome. It makes something that might be scary, FUN. And Taa-Daa, before you know it, you are at your desination..... The 3rd floor. :) A GREAT idea. Two thumbs UP! :) :)
okpkpkp 7 years ago
I've been stuck in a freight elevator at work on a Saturday 4 feet off the ground I can see out of the small, rectangle window in the outer doors. I used the phone and reached the state police. They called my boss, who wasn't answering and the fire department, the elevator dude and my wife at work and the TV news. Kidding about the news. 4 hours and the elevator guy finally showed and told me how to release the pin, and my arm got greased up to where it hooks into my shoulder. I got out and the boss, who by then had shown up to see where the hell I was, told me to take the rest of the day off. Monday at work, I was the talk of the building. It was freaky and I was unsteady when I got out but recovered quickly with a cold beer.
Miguel Garcia 7 years ago
My favourite elevator was the NY one that shows you the buildup of the city over the years. It must have been an extraordinary cost but they did it anyway, nice.
Holly Wilson 7 years ago
There use to be a Warner Bros. store on Fifth Ave in NYC. Three stories. The elevator was a glass one right on the corner of the building. As it rose up to the other floors, Superman appeared, seeming to fly the elevator up. Sadly I don't think it's there anymore.
Tommy Boylen 7 years ago
ME,? I JUST WANT TO GET TO MY FLOOR AND GET THE HECK OUT OF THESE WEIRD CONTRAPTIONS.
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