50 Design Fails In Public Places So Atrocious, They Make People Wonder How They Got Approved (New Pics)
Interview With ExpertThe secret of a great public space lies in its design. For people to visit and make use of these places many times over, they have to be functional, accessible, easy to use, match the needs of the community, and evolve with it as it changes. After all, most things are created to be utilized, not just to be seen.
However, not all designs can check these boxes. “What happens when they fail to do so?” you may ask. Well, they are shared online for netizens to judge. The team at Bored Panda has collected some of the worst cases in the list below. We hope that these photos serve as a public service announcement that we deserve better!
We also reached out to urban planners Taiwo Agbaje and Samuel Austin, who kindly agreed to share some tips on how to create a successful public space.
This post may include affiliate links.
This Pattern On The Hospital's Floor
And if someone really did bleed on the floor and needed urgent assistance you wouldn't notice
Oh my goodness! This is my hospital in Ixelles Brussels Belgium! My husband and I were waiting for a gyno appointment and commenting on how terrible it is!
The fact that you've been there is the most hilarious thing i will see today. That floor looks like someone gave a 2 year old a marker and let it loose. 🤣🤣🤣
Load More Replies...Looks like a little kid got bored of waiting and went mad with a red sharpie
The Students In My Course Complained About Not Having Enough Privacy, And University Decided To Install Glass Doors To Solve The Issue
My Classroom Has These Floor Outlets. It's Basically The Toe Stubber 5000
Oh, I remember some of these from my college classes... These were usually under furniture which was also bolted to the floor.
People are saying buy floor cones, which are a good idea but what happens if, all it takes is one person, if a bottle of water gets accidentally dropped? Accidents do happen.
Urban planner and GIS analyst Taiwo Agbaje tells Bored Panda that one aspect that makes a public space successful is its accessibility. “A remarkable public space is undeniably easy to access and navigate, visible from a distance, and seamlessly connected to its surroundings.”
Other features that it has to include are engaging activities. “Successful public spaces are unequivocal hubs of vibrant activity, offering diverse opportunities for people to engage and participate in various activities,” says Agbaje.
Leg Space In A Cricket Stadium
i mean they're pretty much already exactly like this...unless you pay an extra 5000 dollars, in which case you get a private chef and a bottle of champagne.
Load More Replies...Hi, my seat is just there in the middle of the row, can all you move out to let me pass. Btw, i like to go WC every 10.minutes
It's OK. No one will be sitting behind the front row anyway.
Load More Replies...Almost identical to the local outdoor Rodeo Arena.. except the back rest being a sweaty strangers legs. 🙃
We have a local theater like that, we stopped going when out season tickets were used up.
There Are Three Steps Down At The Entrance To This Lobby
Neither can I. I'm supposing they are the gray lines sort of near the bottom of the picture.
Load More Replies...I mean, there are 3 tiny lighter strips, so they made an attempt…a poor one admittedly
OMG THIS! it happens me to with my wheelchair many times. God dam invisible steps in roads too. Since you don't expect it you just feel your spine compress for no reason then the pain! Luckly my chair has never fallen over so far.
What a waste of space. Put some chairs and bookshelves in, make a little library space.
Even some really fake looking plants that clearly need to be dusted would be an improvement.
Load More Replies...Public Restroom Stalls With... Viewing Windows? Why?
Yeah, right! Tracked this one down from about 9 years ago, the Seattle Convention Center. Looks like they were in the middle of replacing the panels (possible vandalism) when this was taken.
Cotton: "Oh, he's going for the trick shot, Pepper. He's going to have to get just the right amount of arc to get through the hole but still land in the bowl." Pepper: "That's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see how it pays off for 'em."
Load More Replies...Or mental health facility where people on suicide prevention watch must really be watched 24/7, or eating disorders facility making sure people don’t throw up/throw away food.
Load More Replies...He also adds that such places should be comfortable, pleasing to the eye, and serve as a fostering environment for social interactions. “A comfortable environment is undeniably crucial, where seating, shade, cleanliness, and pleasant aesthetics significantly contribute to a positive experience. The space's image must radiate safety, inviting warmth, and impeccable maintenance.
Outstanding public spaces definitively foster social interactions, serving as unequivocal meeting points that genuinely enhance the sense of community, enabling connections among friends, family, and strangers."
The Wall Art In This Bathroom Is... Suboptimal
You think the walls are bad!? Look at the tiles around the toilet. That's some caked on s**t.
Multicolour poonami! I think there might even be seven shades of it!
Reminds me of this joke about a faux book: "Brown Spots on the Wall" by Hu Flung Dung
Load More Replies...With all this talk of taco bell, I'm kinda craving an encherito now.
They Put Circus Mirrors In My Local Gym
I'd rather they have those so I don't have to see my flabby old lady body while exercising
The world needs more dimly lit, mirrorless gyms for sure!
Load More Replies...It’s probably a tactic to prevent people spending too much time in the same place so others wont complain about the wait. Mirrors are important for making sure you technique and body alignment is correct and is ingrained in lifting culture to stare and yourself and flex. This must a be a bad gym. I was at one of those chain pop gyms and they had a big list of don nots like grunting, making noise, dropping weights etc. I left lol. I heard a gym like it told a woman to leave because she was too fit and making the others self conscious? Gyms are forgetting forgetting the goal of gyms lol.
I don’t think “ostentatiously drawing attention to yourself” is the goal of a gym.
Load More Replies...My School Installed A New Beamer. I Nominate Them For "The Best Engineering 2017"
It is! It's the Cairo School of Design and Architecture! (Look at the screen.)
Load More Replies...At some point. "Beamer" became an accepted synonym for a projector. I believe it nay be relatively new to say this, but my nieces & nephews say "beamer" when they are talking about their teachers showing something on what we would call a projector. That's how we know we're getting older James, all the words have changed lol
Load More Replies...Genuine question here: in the UK that's a projector. Is 'Beamer' what Americans call it, or is it slang?
Urban planner Sam Austin, who advocates building liveable cities for youth, summarized these principles by saying, “Public spaces should make people 'stick' and linger for longer, encouraging people to stay and spend time in. Whether that's having informal seating spaces along a pedestrian street or interactive public art - it should provide multiple opportunities to enjoy the space.”
This Was The "Sink" In A Restaurant
Nope, this isn’t a minimalist, avant-garde design. The water just spills off the edges onto the floor, which is why the mop is right there. There isn’t even a drain pipe below this counter.
I have questions .... Design over function ? Sink on back-order ? Work in progress ? Simply forgotten ? Budget overrun ? (I know ... 2 & 3 are unlikely, not easy to cut holes in it now)
Could simply be, “WTF? You had ONE job, Steve!”, and now they’re just waiting to replace it. And Steve.
Load More Replies...Hostile architecture started going for the homeless and animals first and now corporations are coming for you….. I bet their water bill went down after this travesty. What a coincidence lol
At Least It's Padded
there’s a metal bridge outside my school which has basically that thing because there are also hills that people sledge on (in the winter of course)
The Fitting Room Door At The Thrift Store
WAIT a sec this would make me happy! Finally the inverse of my experience!
Load More Replies...Yeah, it really sucks that most thrift stores don’t have fitting rooms anymore. There’s this one thrift store in my area that has really nice clothes but I don’t shop there anymore (except for coats and shoes) because I can’t try them on and they only let you return them for store credit.
Load More Replies...Typical length of golf clubs is 45". Even accounting for the clubs being at a slight angle and the camera view looking slightly down I'd say his waist is at least 4' above the floor. Either he's at least 7' tall or there's zero chance his feet are on the floor. Untitled-6...42fca7.jpg
"Do you have any golf clubs?" "Yes, at the bsck in a big drum by the shorty changing rooms".
Cannot see anything but the face. Keeps stealing down? OH what kind of desperato steals from a thrift store?
Now that we have discussed what makes a public space successful, let’s see what the most common mistakes designers make when creating them.
Austin believes that going too over the top can often ruin the experience of these places. “Some of the most successful public spaces are those that are simple, welcoming and encourage you to stay. While flashy designs and expensive materials look nice, they often create spaces that feel like you don't belong or a sterile, unnatural feeling.”
The Lights In This Hallway
He was trying to get fired so he could apply for unemployment
Load More Replies...This is the Oklahoma City Underground; a tourist destination in itself. It's the downtown tunnels that connect a bunch of the buildings there. Each hallway is different and a bit of art itself, but the hallways are also used as art installations. Check out some of the other pics here: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/oklahoma-city-underground
Not at all appealing design for a tourist either
Load More Replies...Well, if they had to use those ugly fluorescent lights, at least it has some saving grace.
I've seen that kind of lighting in clubs before but never in a normal hallway.
Really? I wish I could say the same. Most places I've worked have had fluorescent lighting and I get a headache within an hour of being inflicted. Which is why I've been WFH since 2011. 😁
Load More Replies...Lets Hope There Won't Be Fire
My thoughts exactly. We in Poland learned it the hard way. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_in_the_Gdansk_Shipyard_hall
Load More Replies...This is something we used to do at the end of the day at a place I used to work, overnight it is locked like this so the doors can't be forced open during the night. Then as soon as first shift arrived we'd unlock it. This looks like that's what this is
If they ever get a surprise inspection, someone is getting in trouble. You can't do this.
One call to a fire marshal and that would be remedied super fast wit fines and such to boot. Unless shut down and doesn’t allow the public in then they can lock it since no one needs to escape.
Placing The Emergency Door Button Next To The Children's Play Area
Bonus for making it pretty and brightly colored so that every child will need to push it.
I used to work at a restaurant that had a fire alarm at the booth at table #1. We kept telling the hosts, "DO NOT seat families with young children at table #1. Can you guess what happened almost every damn weekend during tourist season? Yeah, someone's crotch goblin yanked that alarm. The kitchen had automatic fire doors that rolled down from the ceiling. We had to jam a metro rack in there to keep them open so we could keep working more than once.
TIL what a metro rack is. I've seen them many times before, just didn't know the proper name for them.
Load More Replies...It's missing a cover, but the red light means that button isn't going to do anything anyway. It's an electronic control that can be set to open the door in a number of ways, including by an alarm, a timer, or by pushing the button.
But at the same time making it impossible to be recognized as an emergency button.
Meanwhile, Agbaje often notices inadequate seating and lighting in poorly designed public spaces, “Insufficient seating or uncomfortable benches may dissuade individuals from utilizing the space. Adequate seating is paramount for relaxation and facilitating social interaction. While “insufficient or harsh lighting can engender a sense of insecurity within a public space, particularly during evening hours or at night. Well-conceived lighting augments visibility and fosters a welcoming environment.”
These Stairs
My eyes are going sideways trying to see where the stairs under the stairs are .
Trip down the stairs land face first in the pointy edge of the glass. Final Destination.
It's giving Winchester Mystery House...you gotta confuse the ghosts murdered by guns your husband made
Breathe in if you want to take the first low-road stairs built over old ones for the stampede escape perhaps
This Is The View Of The Stage At The Concert I'm At
This. Based on the seats in the foreground I'm almost positive that picture was taken from several feet above the seat. Maybe even standing on the seat and holding the phone above their head.
Load More Replies...to be fair. That looks like a stadium. YOu could see the game from there. SOmeone just set up the stage at one end of the stadium. Good thing it is so sparsely attended you can easily find a better spot
My best guess is that it's some kind of scoreboard or screen for when this venue is used for sports, folded or retracted against the ceiling for the concert.
Load More Replies...This Aquatic-Themed Hospital Couch Weirdly Has An Underwater Giraffe On It
That was my thought too, but he does have the horn-thingies on his head and also a mane. And rather mammal-y ears. I can't find a ton of good angles on this giraffe seahorse with google images but he seems to lack all of those. I think somebody got confused
Load More Replies...If you can have a seahorse, why not a seagiraffe? sealion, seagiraffe, is it really that different. Heck you can even get a seacucumber.
Additional issues he mentions are a disregard for maintenance and monotony. No one wishes to be in an environment that is repetitive, unstimulating, and marred by litter, graffiti, or malfunctioning amenities. Neglecting context is a big one too, as “designing without regard for the surrounding environment or the prerequisites of the community can precipitate disconnected or incongruous spaces,” explains Agbaje.
Perfectly Thought Classroom
Who Wouldn’t Want A Ceiling That Looks Like It’s Covered With Hair?
This is what happens when you schedule the trampolining club in straight after the glue throwing semi finals.
there must be something really hair-raising there in that place....
Honey? Did you clean the bathroom floor? Yes hon, it's just the pattern...
Steps That Are Too Long For One Step, But Too Short For Two
These kinda steps exist a lot of places, and they're annoying as hell...
This building may not qualify, but I was taught that wide-paced steps (at least on the exterior of a building) were originally designed that way for horses.
Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. Great museum but those stairs are just weird.
The silly little half step takes away any swagger you had and turns up crazy uncoordinated setting.
These steps exist in old auberges and in some streets, in Malta, when the Knights used to go up them while still on their horses. https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTygwGeHCNFzkPvFXDemd5VklAfbOMGNkXc3A&s
One piece of advice that Austin has for designers who aspire to create successful public spaces is to get tactical and then get permanent. “Trial pop-up street furniture, or temporary programming within a space. Physically test what will work best through trial and error before you start pouring concrete and making permanent decisions.”
Agbaje recommends starting by engaging with the local community and considering their needs, activities, and utilization. “Community involvement fosters a sense of ownership and pride in the space,” he says.
Cyber-Greco-Roman Architecture
I understand that ancient buldings weren't designed with space to put cables in them, but couldn't they cover it? This stands out like a sore thumb.
There is a solution called conduit. Still gotta drill, but can paint it.
Load More Replies...Aaaaaargh! - That is horrendous! I actually made the "sucking in over my teeth" noise when I saw this.
Well, at least we all know where the wires are if we ever need to move them. . .?
My School's Locker Can't Even Fit My Backpack Because Of Those Shelves
at my high school (US) you could purchase a locker for $15 at the beginning of the year if you'd like but the hallways were so crowded and you only had 5 minutes in between classes so it was much easier to just carry the equivalent of a mini fridge on your back all day.
You had to rent your locker in HS? Is this a new thing? I graduated 1990 in the US.
Load More Replies...In my day in UK we didn't have lockers. I don't know if they do now. You had to carry your bag with you all day.
We had lockers, but no-one could use them. Maybe you might get lucky and get two classes both near your locker, but generally, you had 4 minutes to go 200 yards through a traffic-jammed halls to go from one class to another; you certainly did NOT have time to make a 200-yard detour to get to your locker, and certainly not enough time to have a conversation to advance the plot of a teen show.
Load More Replies...Why would you fit your backpack in the locker though? I used to put books that I didn't need daily in the locker and maybe my gym shoes, but that's it.
In my daughter's school, she wasn't allowed to carry her backpack during the day. So inconvenient!
Load More Replies...It remind me of locket at my old workplace. It was tiny and had shelves like this one. I couldn't put my shoes inside, because even one shoe was too wide to fit. Terrible design.
Obviously designed before the ubiquitous backpack was invented. No such thing as backpacks when I was at school, in fact you were lucky to get a locker, and I was a posh grammar school!
Beats the one I had. It was the ONLY locker in the entire SCHOOL that didn't have a padlock on it, just a tiny screw to hold the door closed. As a result, I didn't put anything in it and it was always empty or full of other people's litter. Lazy sods, there's a bin in walking distance but no lets put it in that one girl's empty locker so she'll get told off for littering.
They Replaced Half The Mirrors In My Local Shopping Mall's Bathroom With Advertising Boards
What hell do we live in. I fear we will soon have to watch ads to get in our bed, use the toilets, and open the fridge
Well, in Futurama they beam ads straight to your dreams....
Load More Replies...I hate how they throw ads at us everywhere. It should be illegal, and I‘m completely serious about this. It’s distracting in traffic if you’re somewhere new and try to check road signs, but all you see is big billboards specifically made to be distracting, and it’s pure overstimulation, even for a neurotypical person. A while back I had to go into town with my then 18 month old, and when I wanted to cross the street at a pedestrian light, there was a HUGE, extremely bright digital billboard that kept changing its screen every 2-3 seconds. I‘m talking about at least 3 x 4 m. It was uncomfortable even for me, you can imagine how my kid felt. They’re telling us to keep small children away from screens, and then you’re just bombarded with moving screens with no escape.
No one should ever push a key into the corners of the TV to disable it, ever!
Rest stop bathroom in Belgium: €2 to use, no seat, no towels (empty) or air dryer, and then to top it off, f*****g ads on the mirrors. I was so furious, it was one of those rare moments I actually went to the counter and lodged a complaint.
**making note to avoid this when I go to Europe**
Load More Replies...I’m not a fan of violence and waste of materials but here... break it.
That is some Idiocracy level shite. Does the mall have a shop that only sells clothing with advertisements all over it?
Now paying admittance was shelved they have to get extra income, so why not put up mirrors so every person will see your product and buy them of course
Additionally, it’s important to prioritize users and their accessibility. “Ensure universal access to the space by designing pathways, seating, and amenities with inclusivity in mind. Pedestrian-friendly settings cultivate community interaction. Consider sensory experiences, encompassing visual appeal, sounds, and scents," shares Agbaje.
"Mind The Step"
It probably means a small lip that can be a trip hazard but a wheelchair would roll straight over. I'm a wheelie and see this in a few disabled toilets. They warn those with mobility issues who are walking to be careful, but it doesn't take away from wheelchair users rolling over.
I've seen this one in a few places here in my city and it's to warn wheelchair users btw that there's a small lip or tiny step etc.
Installed Those Elevator Buttons, Boss
I don't see buttons for floors 1-4. I think that padded wall I see in the reflection is so you can bang your head.
I realize you may be joking about the padded wall but it's actually something similar to a moving blanket that gets hung inside an elevator to protect the walls of the elevator from dents and scratches (from their furniture) when people are moving in or out of the building.
Load More Replies...The question is, are the numbers correlating to the correct floor, or is it the order they should have been in?
Probably only in another elevator (to keep this one faster, or maybe the floors aren't accessible to public or ...)
Load More Replies...Friends should never let friends install elevator buttons drunk.
My View At A Movie Theater Last Night
It's one of the food/drink theaters where you have recliners and a side table. Even if you put the foot section down you don't gain any height. I've run into this exact problem at a couple of the theaters near me. A couple others near me also do this but the wall isn't high so I can actually see the whole movie.
Load More Replies...This looks like the balcony at the back of a cinema near me; it's designated wheelchair seating with room for two wheelchairs and two supporters. The wall is so high that I couldn't see when I was sat in my manual chair and my power chair was a bit better but not a lot. Definitely not designed with wheelchair users in mind, even though that is the sole purpose of the space!
I am old enough to remember when going to the balcony meant you were not really interested in the movie....
Load More Replies...As someone who wears slippers everywhere, I'm here to tell you that those are slippers. 🤣
Load More Replies...Some super fancy theatres now have reclining seats. Of course you have to pay more for a ticket though…
Load More Replies...He further advises embracing the unique identity of the local culture and embracing greenery, which provides relaxation and improves the well-being of the community. Lastly, he reminds designers not to overlook the materials they use in the space. “Opt for durable, sustainable materials capable of withstanding wear and tear. The use of premium materials notably augments the overall experience and endurance of the space.”
My Sister And I Went To Use The Bathroom At My Other Sister's Softball Game And We Saw This
When I sleep and I need to pee, my brain invents something like this to make me refrain from peeing in bed...
I get the same all the time, smart that the brain seems to manage this even when we're asleep - like the toilet is overflowing, or there's people watching, or you simply can't find the toilet in the first place.
Load More Replies...We have to be the best friends group ever. We've always got each other's back. Let's cement our friendship with a group pee!
I went to a toilet like that in China. Turned a corner, three women next to each other peeing in holes in the ground. I was dumbstruck for a few seconds, but then... when in Rome. Also, I really, really had to go.
Well, I'm fixing to blow it up so the choice is yours...stay for the show or be smart and wait outside
Reminds me of the bathroom we had while in boot camp. In the women's barracks.
The Staircase At My Hotel Room Just Drops Off
I have trouble with normal stairs mainly because of my eyesight- I wear varifocals. I could never manage this.
This type of stairs are very common in Europe, most of the hotels I stayed in when I was in Greece were similar to this!
I live in Greece and I've never seen anything like it.
Load More Replies...World's Most Practical Design
I love the khaki shirt! And the way it just flows from the overshirt. Very classy.
LOL! At first I was thinking what the hell are they talking about? Yeah, I had a good cackle over that, thanks!
Load More Replies...Because function is being completely ignored over form?
Load More Replies...My original bathroom mirror was made up of mirrored tiled but they at least fitted together better than this.
This Escalator Requires That You Still Use The Stairs
Lol it's worse when you forget and trip. Thanks Manchester Arndale for your really naff design
Load More Replies...At least it's not an elevator - an escalator does require that you're not in a wheelchair, so it's not going to impede people in wheelchairs - but it's not *good*.
Some people use escalators because they are unable to use stairs easily, so now those people will have to use the elevator. Now people who have to use the elevator anyway will have to wait even longer for it.
Load More Replies...This Door
That must be advanced math and they make people find the angle between two arcs lol
The guy placing the door must have thought it was quite a joke to put the door in the other way around. I would've done the same thing
Kids' Area In A Hospital's Lobby. N Is For... Nugget?
New born? Nest? Probably meant nest. Just throw some brown pipe cleaners down.
oh god i used to love pipe cleaners...why do i never see them anymore? I remember stabbing myself multiple times playing with them...ah, memories...
Load More Replies...My Friend Saw This At The Cinema
I thought it was a skylight at first. I thought to myself. "Well who in tarnation would put a skylight in a movie theater? ".
This is what's known as obstructed view. Of course you'll still be expected to pay full price.
Good place to make out, no one could see you if they don't sit in nearby seats
My School Added A New Vending Machine To The Science Building’s Lobby. Better For Them To Eat Junk Food Than Have Free Water
The vending machine doesn't even have any drinks to say that they made it on purpose to encourage buying beverages.
Bypass it.... Take your reusable water bottle and refill it from the water fountain... While hoping the vending machines have an excellent safety feature that cuts all power should any water come into contact with them...
Only place it would fit as they consider the drinkers will buy their junk instead
Meanwhile In Supermarket
Is it flat because it looks like there are little steps every few feet 🤯
I wouldn't be able to shop here, this bothers me so much. I want to take a jackhammer to it and redo it all.
Shoutout To This Bar In Rural Alberta, Where The Women's Bathroom Is Right Beside The Piano Stage, No Door. If You Go To The Toilet, Everyone In The Bar Is Going To Hear It
Right? Might not hear anything over the music, but if the piano player passes out, we'll know why.
Load More Replies...In the bathroom at a local park the urinal has a stall around it like a toilet. BECAUSE, when they first built the shiny new bathrooms a year or so ago, that urinal had a straight shot view out the door. For comparison, imagine the urinal in about the same spot the photographer is standing in the photo above. I guess enough people complained because I was there a week ago and now they have the stall around it.
I've got almost no sense of modesty so I don't care, but I'm always amazed at how many men's rooms are designed to that when the door is open you can see people at the urinals.
Load More Replies...I thought Alberta was in Canada, but according to BP only the USA doesn't have floor to ceiling completely sealed stalls.
The Only Unlocked Bathroom At My School
Looks like a jail holding cell. Add a few rows of benches. No lie. Except the sink is a tiny metal thing in the corner.
The amount of school bathrooms that gives anyone who walks in a clear view of presumably underage half-naked students is concerning. Who designs these?
These are the results of lost privileges due to fights and substance use in the bathroom.
Load More Replies...There used to be a bar here and the women's restroom had two toilet seats that faced each other.
Wheelchair Accessible Washrooms Are Located On The Second Floor. Just A Quick Trip Up The Escalator
They most likely have a good pile of lifts. In fact, 100%. Depending on which tower of the World Exchange Plaza this is, there are either 15 or 19 floors.
Load More Replies...I've done escalators in my wheelchair before! Just line your wheels up right and hold on to the hand rails. Not been brave enough to try down yet, though.
I walk with the aid of a rollator. I walk as well as the next guy but cannot go up or down stairs. I tried to use an escalator down to the train, and stumbled. A man luckily caught the rollator before it rolled out in front of a train. My advice is, dont try to go down an escalator in a wheel chair or with a rollator, even if you have managed to go upwards. That I can do, not down.
Load More Replies...Surely it is just showing people that they're upstairs and there is a lift somewhere. Plus not all disabled toilet users are wheelchair users. If I saw this (Im a wheelie) I would just find the lift now I know the toilet is upstairs.
Have these people never heard of the Americans With Disabilities Act? (Or perhaps this is not in the U.S.?)
How Close This Toilet Is To The Stall Door. Had A Good Laugh At How My Feet Poke Out Underneath
I just hate it when they have HUGE lobbies and open spaces then in the bathrooms you get tiny stalls that its impossible to turn around in. Don't they ever think about women with small children? What about a bag or a backpack? Of course they are all designed by men.
Those are like the ones where you can't walk in and close the door without crawling behind the toilet. EWWWW
I Found This Gem At A Hotel In Wisconsin
"Look, Lieutenant Dan, they made a door just for you!"
Load More Replies...I'll bet it was a wall safe that was converted to something else.
The Way These Canvases Were Hung Up In The Bathroom Of My Local Sushi Restaurant
Grrrr...SO annoying, lol. I want to rehang them in the proper order. Actually had to hide the first panel with my thumb so I could get some mental peace.
This Weird Door At The Top Of The Stairs In A Hotel
As stated when this came up before - this door is for fire safety and is regulaton. It is so that people trying to escape through the stairwell when the power goes out don't trap themselves in the basement with no exit by stopping them trying to continue down the stairs. This is likely at the ground floor.
This may be in the UK. Many older hotels and hostels are required to have a fire safety door so guests fleeing downstairs if the power goes out don’t get trapped at basement or ground floor level.
Just the angle of view. You can't see 4 to 6" of door right of the panels.
Load More Replies...Oddly Placed Phone In A Waiting Room
Most likely. The intercom system works at my office through the phones.
Load More Replies...Nice try Lavern, but a lot of us kneel down to talk to Jesus. He isn't 'up there'.
Load More Replies...Looks like you not only have to stand on the chair to answer it, but to continue talking.
My View At The Kings Theater, Portsmouth, UK
They can't really take out a single seat from these rows, but they shouldn't be selling the ticket for it
In the US, they usually sell such "obstructed view seating" at huge discounts.
Load More Replies...I remember sitting in that seat in the 1970s, it is actually in Southsea rather than Portsmouth!
They used to do this at the Princeton University auditorium. (New Jersey US). Fortunately after complaints they did stop selling tickets to seats behind pillars. .
Maybe you're supposed to use those handy binoculars (are they?) and watch one of the ugly TV screens that are ruining the look of the elegant theater boxes.
Yes they are binoculars, and you need to put a coin in to release them for use.
Load More Replies...This Pull Door At Panda Express
This Hallway Is Lined With 12 Framed Copies Of The Same Picture
Either somebody REALLY likes that picture, or they accidentally ordered multiples of the same instead of the variety pack. Then somebody else decided well f**k, let’s put them all up anyway. Who gives a fat rat’s a*s? Fill the walls with them!
Nice Idea Badly Executed
Get rid of the white background and this would work. The shadows would go away. Alternately more diffuse lighting.
This is a great example of designer and copywriter not being on the same page. Design concept is great, but the amount of content dictates a different design. If there was less text or more spacing this would be a better design.
If you're drunk or stoned, your mind can probably make sense of this but not if you're sober.
Which Floor Am I On?
3. I can't see a 5; the angle of the top bar makes me see nothing but a 3.
These Cinema Cup Holders Have No Bottoms, So They Only Fit Super-Large Drink Cups
And to get you to spend more on the bigger cups at the concession.
Load More Replies...I can understand this design, especially after seeing people empty their pack of popcorn or drink in it. stupid design because of stupid peoples.
Most of the ones I've used don't have bottoms, but they do have a lip around the bottom, far enough to hold other size drinks
What is the point of these jumbo sized drinks anyway, if there is no intermission in movies anymore to take a p**s? You WANT people to pee on your seats?
That way you have to go back to the concession stand and buy a new soda.
1. Ingenuity at it's best. 2. Or they couldn't afford the materials and labor to put a bottom on it. 3. It's a marketing ploy to get you to buy the jumbo size.
Campaign In Munich For The Euro Championship
Waiting For My Pap Smear
Yes, that is a normal window located by the entrance of the hospital, low enough for average-height people to see in. I had already undressed and sat down when I realized the blinds were open. I was too nervous to get back up. I watched people go by, and once the doctor came in, I asked if she could close them.
so you sat there naked feeling bad but didnt close them yourself, you waiting lord knows how long
Elevator At The Department Of Architecture
Well, you know how hairdressers often have the worst haircuts, and contractors’ own homes are never finished being built? Well, the architecture department is just following suit by having the absolute worst designs, especially the designs for accessibility. I don’t know. I’m just spitballin’ ideas here.
My New Classroom's Light Switch Is Positioned Here For Some Weird Reason, Not Very Vertically-Challenged-People-Friendly
Agreed, though as a short teach this would be embarrassing, or a guarantee I didn't turn the lights off at all
Load More Replies...Get one of those extenders they make for kids. We have them for our toddlers.
Stunningly Bad Sink At My New Office. Water Runs Off Your Hands, Collects On The Ledge, And Spills Onto The Floor
Demons At My Local Dentist
My dentist has a T-Rex version of these in the waiting room 😆 it looks hilarious. Apparently they're some sort of promotional educational aid for kids 🤷🏻♀️
Safety First
Don’t you know you should run bravely into the middle where the arrows meet? In real emergency you just go through the wall as if it was platform 9 3/4.
Thank You America For Your Awesome Bathroom Privacy
TBH, he should be sitting. (No, it's still terrible...)
Load More Replies...That's because there are laws that regulate handicap stalls
Load More Replies...He would still be able to see over the top of the handicapped stall door.
Stairs In The Basement Of A Princeton University Dorm
The school was founded in 1746, there are bound to be some architectural oddities in some of the buildings. If you're ever in NJ the museum they have is free and awesome, and so is the library. Fun fact, for a short time during the Revolutionary War, Nassau Hall was the temporary capitol of the US. They had cannons pointing out of the windows, neat stuff.
Nothing about this is a crappy design. It's very obviously an old staircase that was deemed unnecessary to tear out, unlike the rest of it (which was probably not anchored to the floor.)
The wear and handrails make me think those are probably the original stairs. Rather than removing them entirely (because after 100 years wooden steps may be a safety concern with the amount of foot traffic) they left a small portion for the historical aspect.
This Odd Handrail Blocking Half Of The Staircase At The San Jose Convention Center
I've seen this with bleacher seating. The hand rail runs up the middle for each section. However, there should be an occasional break in the railing to allow people to pass if they are going up and down.
The wood stairs don't even match the stone stairs next to them. There are two stone steps for each wood step. People must be tripping, stumbling and hitting their feet a lot.
It's not the best design but it's for the sitting steps on the other side. Legally needs to be there but the whole execution is wrong with the stairs coming down and meeting those. It's not wide enough to just let them stay open and some building inspector probably insisted on it.
Someone didn't get the monumental stairs variance they were counting on 😅
They also made it very difficult to see the individual steps that make up the stairs
This Disabled Parking Spot Has No Ramp
I was told - as a wheelchair user - they have to supply stuff for the disabled, but it doesn't have to be useable by them. Like places that keep mops, vacuum cleaners etc., in the disabled toilet.
Hey we made it easy to park ok? what more do you want? to be able to get into the building unassisted? sheesh how demanding! (sarcasm... just in case)
My daughter a few weeks ago was telling me how we have a specific type of disability in mind when we design for accessibility. She was saying that small people for example cannot easily use the public toilets because they are too high for them. It really blew my mind how right this is!!
I have a similar situation at the college I attend part-time. There are lots of disabled parking spaces right near the entrance where you are greeted by about 10 steps. The dropped kerb is about 100m away, meaning you have to wheel your chair or mobility scooter right through the very busy car park (and people don't drive slowly!) to reach the ramp. Of course, there's no disabled parking on that side of the car park 🤷🏼♀️
High School Bathrooms Are Already Wild Enough
How to encourage children to develop bladder problems, so you can boost your healthcare profits!
It looks like there are stalls behind this enclosure. If this is a school that supports disabled students, perhaps this is so an aide can assist them in the rest room.
Spotted At An Airport In Angola. I Guess This Guy Just Checked All The Boxes So They Used Him 5 Times
There's an imposter to the left....quick guy!run! before you also get cloned!!!
You Had One Job (Singapore Version)
"Every You Give Zoom More Idea". What Does That Even Mean?
So why not just put the words in the correct order, ffs?
Load More Replies...The Person Who Decided To Put A Glass Door Opposite The Toilet In The Restaurant, I Have A Couple Of Questions For You
It's very obviously a door with mirrors unless somebody took a picture through a glass door of somebody else taking a picture through the door while standing right in front of the toilet.
Load More Replies...The Text Doesn’t Line Up With The Lights
Nah, even then it´s kinda annoying how the words are all over the place.
Load More Replies...THe art designer and the lighting designer were on different continents.
You Can't Open That Door
The sign literally says it is a fire door and not to put obstacles to stop it closing. Well I guess they have definitely prevented that
Sliding Door Prevents Use Of Outlets
These Made Me Feel So Off-Balance. I Had To Use The Handrail Every Time I Used Them
These Chairs At A Bowling Hall I Went To
Pretty obvious that the table was added later and they most likely deemed it too much work/effort to remove the chairs, especially since they can act like a secondary storage of sorts.
I dunno, I think the kids will love having their own little hidey hole!
It appears as though this picture was taken during covid, given all the masks laying on the table, so maybe the table was added to encourage social distancing?
One-Way Window Tint At School, So We Can't See People, But They Can See Us
Well that's creepy. BTW if you are traveling it's worth it to know how to spot one way windows. Some Air BnB owners like to record their guests.
Note that the "Fingernail Test" (putting your finger on the mirror and seeing if your reflection is touching or not) is not a way to spot one. This distance is based on how the mirror is backed, so it has an exceedingly high false positive rate, and so can cause undue anxiety. These mirrors, if one is willing to pay out the nose for them (mirror film is cake to spot without touching), are more obvious by their darker hue (as seen in the picture above) o by rapping on them (if there is a hole behind then it will ring hollow).
Load More Replies...Not quite sure if this is a genuine question or sarcasm, but were the photos not convincing enough?
Load More Replies...Who Designs These Mannequins? I Mean, Seriously
After inventing the "Elaine," Ricky felt he had nothing left to give the fast-paced, high-fashion world of mannequin design, until...
This Railing At A Hotel I Stayed At
This has me really scratching my head...but why, how, when??
Bad Door Placement
Limbo your way in or turn sideways take a deep breath hold it in then proceed
Gonna guess the handrail was added for ADA (or local equivalent) compliancy long after the building was built.
Load More Replies...Doesn't help that the door seems to be more narrow than most.
New Acoustic Foam Just Put Up On My School's Walls
I'm not sure what's wrong with this, other than one being slightly out of line. You need 17 m2 to generate an echo, and setting up spaced acoustic panels absorbs enough sound to cut the reverb. Also notice the giant row of panels above, too.
Odd Doorway Left After The Office Reconfigurations. The Glass Wall Was Removed, And Custom Ceiling Not Restored
"Please Go Sideways"
Elevator Button With No Elevator
I used to have a button like that in an apartment I shared. We jokingly called it the panic button, and used it for several in-jokes. One night, one of my housemates pushed it, and we heard the stairway door slam and someone shouted, "Enough with that f*****g button, you god-damned psychopaths!" We had no idea who it was; we couldn't recognize the voice. I still have no idea what the button was for.
Very occasionally I have seen the call buttons further away from the lift so that by the time you get there the lift is on its way or arrived - possibly this??????
Some hotels and convention centres have installed elevator buttons a few metres away from the actual elevator. It means people have less of a wait time as the elevator has already been called.
people can´t wait a couple seconds anymore for a lift to arrive?
Load More Replies...Like the lightswitch in Friends that controlled something in another apartment
This Lobby’s "Modern" Clear Footstool Contains An Old Rustic Footstool
The Elevator At My Workplace Is Rather Confusing
Honestly, I would think someone was being a jerk and just making those marks for no reason .... I would use original markings ....
Load More Replies...Maybe With My Head Between My Knees I Would Fit
And what's that stain on the floor? Blood from someone whacking their head on the corner of the box?
Rust/crud from the foot of whatever was there that this bench replaced.
Load More Replies...A Spot For Kids To Be Measured, On A Sloped Ramp. Lotteria Restaurant In Korea
I'm more worried about the mini-skirt wearing, floating headed, royal guard. "I'm your friend" 😳
Gambling In Istanbul Subway To Your Destination
Why is Levent listed twice and it's the only one with a number?
This "Ergonomic" Catastrophy. Workplace Outside Of The Library In The New University Building In Frankfurt. 33 Cm Bench-Table Distance, Not Movable, Hard Metal Edges, Painful To Use
I need cushy for my tushy ... I don't think they want you to be comfortable enough to stay long periods of time.
I have no a*s/no padding, lol. That would hurt after awhile.
Load More Replies...This New “American” Restaurant Opened In Town And I Can’t Enjoy My Food Because Of This
Is that because it uses American Chesse rather than European cheese?
You Had One Job
The door opens the other way - they put the sticker the wrong way round
Load More Replies...Arbitrary Stairs In The Middle Of A Hallway
Must be something underneath the stairs they had to build around.
These Stairs Are At 45° Angle, So You're Guaranteed To Trip On Them. The Handrail Also Has Razor-Sharp Plates Attached To The Wall
And the gap between the wall and staircase is to drop keys, phone etc or to get your foot caught after you trip! Fun for all ages.
When Booking My Ticket, I Was Told I Might Have A Slightly Restricted View. "Slightly" Is A Bit Of An Understatement
Sorry, this one is overrated! This is His Majesty's Theatre in London, where Phantom of the Opera is played and I have already sat at this exact place. Yes, you cannot see the whole stage the whole time, but 1.: the seat is definitely sold cheaper than the other seats and 2.: the singers and actors are moving around A LOT and there is even stuff happening beside the stage. I had no problem enjoying the play from this point of view!
This Door In My School
I've seen a few of these over the years. Older remodeled buildings can be weird.
At some point in history there were stairs leading down from that door, that have since been removed—-though you’d think they’d wall in the door, wouldn’t you?
Load More Replies...Almost Every Woman’s Restroom In Older Buildings Is Like This. Designers Failed To Realize Women Grow Taller Than 5’5
What are we complaining about here, the mirror position or the door height?
Especially since you’re going to be sitting, not standing, in the stall while dropping a deuce anyway.
Load More Replies...I have a friend who is 4'10". She loves these old washrooms as everything is just right for her, including the mirrors.
I have only found 3 public bathrooms so far that can accommodate kids. Target is great for hand washing. They have one sink that has a step you can pull down for children to stand on. Newer wal marts have low toilets so my children can get on and off by themselves. A local thrift shop had a kids potty and a step stool for hand washing.
When This Door Opens, It Hits The Pillar. I’m Guessing The Poster Was Put There To Cover It, But The Door’s Gone Through It Too
This Airport Bathroom's Arrow Is Almost Invisible, So People Walk Into Exiting People
What Happened Here?
My Doctor's Office Has Three Identical Paintings In The Lobby
When You Look Up At The Ceiling In Your Hospital Bed And See This
The "Emergency" Pull Rope In My Local Hospital's Disabled Toilet
Happens all the time. People tie up, or even cut, the string to stop it 'getting in the way' 🤦🏼♀️
Load More Replies...Fed up with people thinking it is a light switch, I bet. It should be red with an anti-ligature pull on it.
My Classroom's Random Column
How did it get so dirty? I would probably have to clean it if I saw that.
Probably the one pillar that supports the weight of the entire building (sarcasm) …
More true than you think. Some buildings will fail completely if one internal pillar fails.
Load More Replies...The First Step Of These Stairs Is Not A Step
This Narrow Passageway Leads To The Only Elevator On The Platform
Once you've given room for those exiting the elevator, you have to sprint with your luggage in tow to press the button before the elevator goes up again. Needless to say, I failed this a couple of times.
This Floor Looks Like It Has Grass Cutting All Over It
Someone's artificial Christmas tree was shedding. The last piece will be vacuumed up the week before you put it up again next Christmas.
They Replaced The Tiles In My Dorm's Hallway. It’s Supposed To Be 3 Solid Blue Lines
The 4 blue ones under the doors make 15. It’s supposed to be a solid block of blue, 5 wide and 3 deep. And everything else the beige. I’m guessing the tile installer objected to the rigidity of the design, and just went freeform.
Load More Replies...Sat Down At Our Gate At The Airport Next To An Outlet. It Turns Out It's A Sticker
It’s a gag.”Influencers” stick them up and video people trying to use them
That would certainly influence me…to walk over there and try to smack the stupid off them.
Load More Replies...These Stairs Lead To Nowhere
They're beautiful. I'd probably put a wingback chair or some plants there. I think it looks odd partly because it's an empty space.
Load More Replies...OHH that's a good guess. I've never been there but I've heard it's pretty cool
Load More Replies...This is in the Winchester House in San Jose CA, so it’s on purpose. Read up on Sarah Winchester.
It’s in Amsterdam. https://mforamsterdam.com/nienhuys-mansion/
Load More Replies...Can't Open The Window In The Gym Changing Room. There Is Even A Lower Setting Where They Could Have Screwed It In
Why not? It tilts open, only the top-part opens and thhe hinges stay where they are
Load More Replies...This Huge Pillar In The Middle Of The Changing Room
This Skinny Door At Taco Bell
for exactly one broom! that's why it's a broom closet instead of a brooms closet (hehe)
Load More Replies...This is the bathroom in my dreams if it's not stadium seating or just an open space with toilets
Load More Replies...The New Cinema In My City Has Stairs Exactly In The Middle Of The Screen, Forcing Everyone To Sit To The Side
I know a lot of big that also have stairs in a middle.
Load More Replies...This Seat On The Bus
One of these thing is not like the others One of these things just doesn't belong, Can you tell which thing is not like the others By the time I finish my song?
Saw This In The Hospital Where I Work At
Yes; looks like that indicates the way to the steps. Nothing wrong with this imo.
This Screen At My School
It's made up of multiple screens, but the bottom right one sticks out from the others
Load More Replies...Spotted In Stockholm
Nothing to see here, just an advert for Microsoft Edge and a reminder to recycle
I Hated Every Second Of This Bus Trip
What would bother me more than the seat cover is the bery small space between the seats behind
What are people thinking designing all this very public toilets??? I have never ever saw abomination like this, but I wonder how and where?!
Ya these are atrocious! Thank the stars I've never seen anything like these. Pretty sure the school ones would be illegal here.
Load More Replies...The world needs more women architects; they have far more common sense about the practicality of a space
Great read. Laughed my way through it. Such crazy bad design gaffs!!
So a lot of these are either poorly planned renovations or ADA gone wild.
What are people thinking designing all this very public toilets??? I have never ever saw abomination like this, but I wonder how and where?!
Ya these are atrocious! Thank the stars I've never seen anything like these. Pretty sure the school ones would be illegal here.
Load More Replies...The world needs more women architects; they have far more common sense about the practicality of a space
Great read. Laughed my way through it. Such crazy bad design gaffs!!
So a lot of these are either poorly planned renovations or ADA gone wild.
