If asked to picture a cozy home, most of us would probably have a few attributes in common, warm light, soft furniture, perhaps a fireplace. One would think that these attributes would also then feature in the minds of the people who design them. But, as it turns out, some architects really have their own agenda.
The aptly named “Evil Buildings” online group is dedicated to exactly that, man-made structures that really seem like they were intended to serve as a supervillain’s lair. So get comfortable as you look at these pointedly uncomfortable buildings, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own thoughts in the comments below.
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“Church” Of Scientology - Kansas City, Mo
That screams Evil Mental Asylum Hospital. Hey, use this as the next Arkham Asylum!
The UFO flying above this sanctum of evil stupidity is a nice touch. Is it their god come to dump more souls down volcanos?
German Observation Tower In Guernsey
"Did you try turning it off, and back on again?"
Load More Replies...It's on purpose. The old guard towers are now housing the Museum of German Occupation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_fortification_of_Guernsey
Load More Replies...Built by POWs captured by the N**i Wehrmacht and Schutzstaffel.
Looks like the old woman and her kids moved into a way more sturdy shoe than anything else.
The Iron Fountain In Armenia
*beyblades theme song has entered the chat*
Load More Replies...It was a beautiful fountain when it worked, but sadly the surrounding area was largely destroyed in the 1988 earthquake, and has never recovered
Some rust neutralizer and a bright orange paint job would change its vibe.
Many of the buildings here share some common attributes, aged concrete slabs, industrial designs, imposing forms that, at a glance, seem like a place a supervillain would hide their superweapon. Even the name of this style, brutalism, conjures up a stark, harsh reality. As an architectural style and philosophy, it’s often misunderstood, but it presents a heavily human-centered solution to architecture in its emphasis on honesty, longevity, and community in ways that many other styles neglect.
Brutalist buildings reveal their concrete purpose and shape without hiding supports or relying on decorative facades. This honesty creates an unadorned relationship between form and function so that people can see how spaces engage with each other and what they are utilized for by simply observing the building itself.
When A Building Is So Evil It Can Walk Away From The Scene Of It's Own Crime. -An Old Home In Norway
Not an old home, this is a ´stabbur´, a traditional granary. But those supports look fake to me, is this a real picture?
I was planning to do a reverse image search; if I find any I’ll come back
Load More Replies...Firstly, the image is real. Google "finnburet" and you'll find more. Second, it is NOT a home. It is a stabbur for hanging meat and storing food.
Is this AI? If not, how much forward planning did it take to have four trees in just the right places?
Qatar's Crescent Tower
"You just activated the event horizon portal sir." "Why do we even have that lever?"
The black fog of death is a nice touch - rolling right through the tower and all.
Benito Mussolini’s Headquarters ”palazzo Braschi” In Rome 1934
The first time I saw a photo of this building, I thought it was a still from the 1950s movie version of "1984"!
The first time I saw a photo of this building, I didn't believe it was real. That mask is combination of menace and comedy.
Undoubtedly where Mr. Orwell got the inspiration for Big Brother.
Concrete's durability provides sustainability and long-term value. Its thermal mass can control indoor climates naturally, storing heat energy during the day and releasing it at night, with the potential for reducing dependency on mechanical heating and cooling. Minimal repairs are required over the course of decades because of the resilience of these buildings, making them resource-effective in their life cycle.
Hallgrímskirkja Church In Iceland
Hallgrímskirkja, translates to Church of Hallgrímur, so the word church up above is redundant.
Not everyone knows the Icelandic word for church, and I bet a lot of people here would have asked what kind of building this is.
Load More Replies...It’s just the fog. The building and its surrounding square are actually lively and the view from the square is nice too.
Giant Soviet Abandoned Antenna
The Kalyazin RT-64 radio-telescope was built to communicate with robotic craft sent to Mars. The 64 refers to the 64-metre diameter of the antenna
Famke Janssen and Gottfried John about to destroy it with a giant space laser
Load More Replies...That was the Arecibo Observatory, it collapsed in 2020.
Load More Replies...It's just a giant abandoned satellite antenna. The only thing I'd be afraid of is if it were falling apart as I'm standing under it.
It's a radiotelescope: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RT-64. We have a bigger one here in the UK which remains operational: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jodrell_Bank_Observatory
Load More Replies...The Headquarters Of Caixa Geral De Depósitos (A Bank In Portugal)
That´s the purpose of Brutalism. I think here the angle and lighting/colour does the "trick".
Load More Replies...What... the imprison you, execute you, and then sell your organs, if you miss a loan payment?
The cheapness of this material is another feature, not a “bug.” While it might seem cold and uncomfortable, many “brutalists” would argue that homelessness is a lot worse. By using materials that are easy to transport and manufacture, cities can be transformed, slums removed and even working class families can get access to normal, livable amenities. Some architects are always more skilled than others, but that remains true no matter what style they embrace.
Temple Of Pestilence
I was sceptical at first, thinking it's a very weird skeleton, so had to google. Apparently, it's a real (or replica) deer skeleton! What kind of deer/elk/moose etc. Internet couldn't say, but definitely anatomically correct. Was it already there or the photographer (Brendon Burton) put it there for effect, is another story.
Shape, especially spine, seems wrong for a horse.
Load More Replies...Brutalism In Berlin. A Building Cult
Why have cannon sticking out from the side? It looks like some kind of Brutalist battle cruiser style.
It is an evil building. By its purpose. Doesn't even look close to how bad it is.
DC, you're right as it happens. "This facility was built for the purpose of live animal testing." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_Institutes_for_Experimental_Medicine
Load More Replies...I actually like Brutalist architecture. There's something interesting and stark about it (which I'm sure is the point).
Downtown Cleveland This Morning
Reminds me of some of the darker scenes from the "Big O" cartoon series.
The majority of the Brutalist structures came as a result of the post-war needs and supported modular, flexible designs. Architecture that integrates the living area, play areas, and paths of circulation in one form was developed for real communities whose needs shift over time. Flexibility respects human lives and allows space to modify the use of space according to requirements.
St. Nikolai Memorial Cathedral (Hamburg, De)
It's what I would imagine how an alien planet controlling AI would look like.
It is just the remaining tower (the rest having been bombed), pictured at a very close angle to get that effect.
Load More Replies...This Old Factory
Factories need some love, too, right?
Load More Replies...This looks as though it's about to take over the world with its tendrils.
Been a while but maybe. Was filmed at an old disterlery
Load More Replies...St. Louis Cathedral In The Fog. Jackson Square - New Orleans, Louisiana
Brutalist buildings normally served a civic function, attempting to serve society in the guise of housing, town halls, and libraries. The strength, occasionally drama, of the buildings was intended to convey collective worth and institutional pride, rather than elitism. Such monumentality has the power to generate involvement and a common sense of identity rooted in place.
Massive Cooling Tower With Stairs
And I'm content looking at it in a photo LOL considering its purpose!!
Load More Replies...After getting to the top...'Dammit, now where is that 10mm socket'?
What a shame, there's no wheelchair access. I guess I'll just admire it from the ground!
Uh, I'm old. Where is the elevator? I would be out of breath by the third platform.
It's The Lighting That Really Sells The Menace For Me
The Shadowless Church, also known as the Sino-French Agricultural Science and Technology Park Church, is a unique architectural marvel located in Chengdu, China. It's characterized by its all-white, minimalist design, constructed primarily from aluminum. The church is known for its unique ability to allow light to pass through its structure, creating a "shadowless" effect, especially when bathed in sunlight. Its design, inspired by the lavender fields of Provence and Impressionist art, is intended to evoke freedom, romance, and inclusivity. Those last three and this photo combined, not so much.
Pitch In Front Of A Wwii Bunker In Hamburg
I read the special conctete mix they used was so strong that demolishing these towers was either extremely expensive or would blow down most of the surrounding city if you tried explosive demolition. I think the recipe was lost during the end of the war.
Load More Replies...Whenever I see it spelled wwii, my brain goes to the gaming console.
Load More Replies...Isn't the function of a 'bunker' to protect things and people underground? This is above ground...?
That's a blockhouse built to house anti-aircraft guns. The idea was that it'd be nearly impervious to RAF/USAAF bombs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flak_tower. It wasn't a special concrete mix that made it so sturdy, just the fact that it's constructed very heavily. More on N**i Germany and concrete is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwerbelastungsk%C3%B6rper ("heavy load-exerting body")
Load More Replies...I know that turned one in a giant aquarium or public pool and another into a big climbing and fitness location.
Load More Replies...It is a so called "Hochbunker". They were and are pretty common in many cities. Very difficult till impossible to get rid of.
Load More Replies...Despite appearances of coldness, the majority of Brutalist designs incorporated social interaction and access, with communal terraces, walkways, and in-house services included in the design. These elements were meant to provide opportunity for neighborly encounters and shared experience, mirroring the idea that buildings must facilitate human contact.
We Bones That Lie Here Wait For Yours
From Reddit: Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of the Bones) in Évora, Portugal. It has walls that are literally built from human bones. It is estimated that around 5000 corpses were needed for its construction.
a smal detail of Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of the Bones). There are at least six "Capelas dos Ossos" (Chapels of Bones) in Portugal. vora-e-Vil...518f66.jpg
The Times Square Building New Years Day, Rochester NY
*insert photoshopped pic* (was in my phone so could not do the actual thing 🙃 )
Load More Replies...I've seen this building in the flesh. Beautiful. The USA really did buildings with style in those days.
Beijing Data Building
Interest has been revived in the practicality and genuineness of Brutalism over the last few years. Its straightforward structure and raw surfaces ignite contemporary reinterpretations, such as concrete furniture, sustainable reinterpretations which pair exposed material with plant life, and these reinterpretations are able to diminish urban tension while encouraging biodiversity, proving how the ideals of Brutalism remain valid.
Evil/Cyberpunk Looking Residential Skyscraper, Bangkok
Keisuke Oka’s Arimaston Building, Tokyo
Oka began this project in 2005, armed with basic hand tools and a vision. The building’s twisting concrete form reveals his improvisational approach, shaped day by day without rigid plans. Its angular windows and irregular surfaces aren’t mere details; they reflect the rhythm of making—decisions carved into concrete with each pour. Oka even incorporated everyday objects like food trays into the formwork, creating subtle patterns and textures that reward close attention. The building reads like a conversation between sculpture and architecture. It feels personal, almost human, as though each wall carries traces of the hands that shaped it. Despite its unconventional construction, the Arimaston Building is no relic of the past—it’s fully integrated into the urban fabric, yet unapologetically individual. Now completed, the structure faces an unusual challenge: to be relocated in 2025 due to redevelopment. Using the traditional Japanese hikiya method, the entire building will be moved.
If you're going to cut-and-paste from another website, at least have the decency to credit the source. https://www.thisispaper.com/mag/arimaston-building-by-keisuke-oka
Load More Replies...This looks as though it was left over from the Great Kanto Earthquake.
Oakley Headquarters In Foothill Ranch, California
Finally, Brutalism is not simply a matter of massive concrete forms. It is based on transparency, rendering construction honest and legible; resilience, designing to last and be low maintenance; functionality, shaping spaces according to actual human needs; civic purpose, elevating public institutions and a community focus, designing for public interaction. By prioritizing usefulness in real life over prettification, Brutalism can be a model for intentional, people-focused design instead of something obsolete.
The Internationales Congress Centrum Berlin Looks Like A Base For The Galactic Empire
I watched a video on this building a while ago. IIRC it was effectively abandoned. But i could be remembering that wrong
No, you remember that correctly. It is in dire need of renovations, but due to the renovations being expected to be very expensive, and the high operating costs of the building itself, neither the city (as owner) not the Messe Berlin (as operator) are interested in actually renovating the ICC. It's not completly abandoned (it served as an emergency shelter for refugees around 2016, and as a vaccination center during the Covid-19 pandemic), but hasn't hosted any congresses since 2014.
Load More Replies...The Edifício Fiesp, São Paulo, Brazil 1979
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
Btw, they use it as a giant projector canvas on evenings for short films with things like Godzilla and Pac Man attacking the building etc. Also the viewing platforms on the top are free, unlike Tokyo sky tree and such.
A Dystopian View From Halle, East Germany, 1975
The German band Einstuerzende Neubauten (collapsing new buildings) is a 'tribute' to the East German housing
Not quite my genre (I'm into jazz and blues), but I loved the cover of „Haus der Lüge”.
Load More Replies...Those kinds of buildings might look dull or even dystopian, but I think they're great! They provided much needed affordable housing for the population boom after the WW2. They also were often designed with built in stores and service points, and planned not individually but as a collective. Therefore they also included preplanned greenery, playgrounds and even schools, post offices, medical clinics and other buildings necessary to live comfortably without having to travel far for anything. Unfortunately, nowadays developers care only about the money from apartment sales, so they still build those blocks but without anything else... They tend to be crammed super close together (can look into neighbor's windows), have no commercial spaces, playgrounds or other amenities. They might be good sleeping spot, but you have to travel for everything - from school and doctors, to simple groceries.
Rheinturm In Germany, The Ultimate Villains Lair
Not sure if that pic above is altered, but there's a pic on Wikipedia of colored rays, and this blurb: Rheinkomet (lit. 'Rhine comet') is a light art installation on top of the Rheinturm (Rhine Tower) in Düsseldorf.] It has 56 Xenon arc lamps. Due to high public popularity, they try to set it up permanently and to use it on special occasions.
Load More Replies...Umeda Sky Building Osaka Japan
I've been up (& down, obviously) those angled escalators to the floating garden observatory. Unnerving for anyone with a fear of heights, which includes me & my wife
I was basically hugging the rails too. Great views, but scary as heck especially as I wasn't on my meds back then
Load More Replies...Mormon Temple, California
I'm sure once the construction is complete, it will look less menacing. Then again, knowing it's a Mormon temple will still make it creepy as fúck.
This is in La Jolla and likely the picture timing this isn't construction. They recently completed a "deep clean" of the property and building. Friend of mine taking architecture was able to get inside before it was "christened" and said it was incredible. Of course later it was full Mormon...had a close co-worker pass, no one was able to attend the service who wasn't Mormon. Location is on the east side of I-5 in La Jolla and yes, looks cool and impressive.
Load More Replies...Again, another sinister looking building that is home to an equally sinister organisation.
They were forced by California to allow public tours for a certain amount of time after it was built. Rumor has it that afterwards they tore out all the carpet that all the non-Mormon heathens walked on to "re-sanctify" the structure.
Load More Replies...They take people's money, keeping them in poverty, and build a monstrosity like this, and the people don't go ""hang on s minute..". That's true evil.
Looks Like A Villains Lair
And say that its been a pleasure to open for you?!
Load More Replies...French Communist Party's headquarters. Take from that whatever you may.
Hyatt Regency
the hotel has been used most notable in the movies, "towering inferno", "high anxiety", "time after time", "telefon", "freebie and the bean" and a few others. i and my now wife ate at the restaurant "(the square structure on top) back in may 1986 for our senior ball!
Baghdad, Iraq. Ministry Of Interior During The Ba’ath Party Regime (1968-2003)
University Of Evil
A most beautiful campus in the daytime! I’ve worked there many times it is beautiful. IMG_0643_O...e-jpeg.jpg
Water Tower In Former Uthemann Ironworks
Really cool. But with all of that exposed rebar, it looks like it's beyond salvage.
That's about how I have aged too, which makes me kinda fond of this little big fella.
The Zeppelinfield, The Building Adolf Hitler Made His Speeches From During The Annual Nuremberg Rallies From 1933-38
Only half-related, but it's a shame we don't have more zeppelins. I think they're neat.
It's a great business idea - I could see it really blowing up.
Load More Replies...Cathedral T-800
Downvotes on BP exist to hide remarks - so, why downvote this one? CooperDooper81 has a perfectly valid point.
Load More Replies...Boston Government Service Center
It is. The construction was a fiasco and it was not finished as planned.
Load More Replies...Never been there. But if you lie on your back under it, it could look a bit like a kitty cat's face.
Baby Tower, Fuzhou, China, Used To Abandon Unwanted Babies
Uh... so how does it work? Do you just drop them in and walk away or...? 🤨
"They would typically take the form of a small stone or brick tower with an opening on the top. Dead, disabled, female, and unwanted infants could be thrown inside and abandoned. The baby tower is described as a donation from wealthy people in the countryside, as a more humane alternative to drowning babies in a river, common at the time. The pagoda architectural style is intended to suppress the spirit of the children, to prevent them from being reincarnated." - as per Wikipedia. So basically yes, you drop them in and walk away. 🫣
Load More Replies...Dee's website with the correction that *these were not a places to abandon babies* they are *burial sites* is a fascinating link I'm going to repost because it's an amazingly well done site that's absolutely chocked full of information: https://chinesedeathscape.supdigital.org/read/cradle-to-grave This is not to minimize the fact that there was a high incidence of abandoning infants--especially females, babies with physical deformities, or people so poor they simply could not feed another child. but let's be precise in what we're discussing and not spread misinformation.
In related news, the Carthaginans did not sacrifice children, they did cremate dead babies and the parents would take home the ashes. The Aztecs and Incans did though
170 Years Old, Abandoned Steam Mill In Bucharest
Beautiful brickwork. Certainly no "evil" vibes here, for me at least.
If it's anything like the mills in the UK, there'll be plenty of evil associated with it.
Load More Replies...Built in 1853, the Assan Mill was the first steam mill in Bucharest, Romania. Frankly, I think it's what a solid and intact building might look like in Elden Ring. The key words being "intact".
The Kyoto International Conference, Japan
Well, it was used in several movies (e.g. The Yakuza, 1975).
Load More Replies...The Editing Makes This The Most Sinister Dairy Queen Ever
"I am about to to be sucked into another realm or maybe die, trying to order a Cheesequake Blizzard!"
Castelgrande, In Bellinzona, Switzerland
Them "I don't know what the fuss was about, this is just modern concrete!" *calls an Über*
Load More Replies...It's the modern entrance to the castle when they did renovation/restoration in 1991, still pretty weird. More pics: https://www.archdaily.com/954646/medieval-brutalism-the-entrance-of-switzerlands-castelgrande-captured-by-simone-bossi The actual castle is quite beautiful: https://www.getyourguide.com/bellinzona-l99510/bellinzona-3-castle-ticket-including-villa-dei-cedri-t364895/?ranking_uuid=8e010dd8-668d-4d45-b25f-50d94800f47d
It looks like it's guarded by the dead and they don't suffer the living to pass.
looks like the wall "syndrome" had in his lair in "the Incredibles"!
Pagoda In Pa
It was intended as a luxury resort, but was gifted to Reading, PA in 1911. It's been closed to the pubic every time I've been there since 1963.
Load More Replies...I’ve been inside, first floor only. Nothing to see, really. The best part is the view to the right of the pagoda. Also, with all the different parking spots for the views, it makes a great make-out spot. Not that I would know anything about that, personally. :)
Metropolitan Correctional Center, Chicago Il
I don't think American correctional system is meant to correct anything.
Evil Enough ?
Up the airy mountain, down the rushy glen, we daren't go a hunting, for fear of little men. You see, nobody ever goes in... and nobody ever comes out
Just needs a giant holographic projection on top of it showing a evil smile
Sancaklar Mosque, Turkey
Do a Google image search using "sancaklar camii". It's really a beautiful building.
The Calvary Church In Nc
I just looked it up & it's in Charlotte, NC and it's HUGE. I saw an aerial view of it. They must have RICH people going there because their daycare prices are almost $21,000 a year for 3 to 5 year olds and almost $21,000 for 1 a 2 year olds including lunch and snacks. Half days are $2700-5800 depending on how many days for 2 to 4 year olds. Five year olds is $7900 and no food or snacks included. Their kindergarten thru 9th grade is $15,500 a year. That's insane
Thanks for that info. I paid $5000 a year back in 1985 for a three year old.. Private school was $6000 a year when he turned six. And preparatory school was $17,500 a year starting at age fourteen. I am not good at correlating 1985 dollars to 2025 dollars. Anybody know?
Load More Replies...No evil aura here. Quite a beautiful building. I heard that it went broke ... ?
Abandoned Submarine Tunnel Of Former Yugoslavia
The (Ex) House Of The Soviets In Achinsk, Russia
I was expecting more slime, then my brain caught up with your comment
Load More Replies...Think I Found A Villains House On My Walk
This is in Sandnes, Norway. https://afasiaarchzine.com/2021/01/trodahl-arkitekter-alexander-kielland-house-sandnes/
Load More Replies...Abandoned Soviet Ritual Castle In Tbilisi
The Octogon- Egyptian Equivalent To The Pentagon
The Evilest Of Evil Buildings
Pacific Design Center, Los Angeles
(For the Star Wars geeks) Looks like the First Order and Jawas collaborated on some new Sand Crawlers
Someone On The Street Photography Sub Mentioned You Guys, So I Thought I’d Post This Here Too
Apparently the off-side of the State Library and Archives of Tasmania (side wing, added in 1970).
Load More Replies...The National Library Of Belarus
Didn't I see that top part in a Doctor Who story? Looks like the Movellan spacecraft.
He Is Watching You
I Think That Sign Is Warning Me
23m Lenin Monument
Cemetery Of Laprida (I Think So Cause It Reminds Me Of Death And Suffering)
Aliens land here. See a monstrous sized statue of a crucified human. And they think: let's get the heck out of here!
Battersea Power Station In London, England
I’m assuming you’re not a Pink Floyd fan! That’s the album cover for "Animals".
Load More Replies...The House My Mother Grew Up In. It Is Now A Theater In Dayton, Ohio
Would love to go back in time to see this as a family home in all its glory.
Palace Of The Parliament, Bucharest, Romania
Ceaușescu vanity project. A truly massive, and interesting, building https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_the_Parliament
Mexico’s Military College Or Intergalactic Spaceport
Egypt's New Parliament
Nasa's Kennedy Space Center Before Hurricane Milton Hits
Mexican Government Building Under Construction In Mexico City
There are better pictures. Hit Spascucci on the lower left of the picture to get the fuller concept.
Not Your Ordinary School Building You See Everyday, A Private Catholic University In Thailand
Mont-Saint-Michel, France
It looks like the capital cities in arabian films without the desert surrounding it
Bizarre Towers In Korea
These aren't real. This was a design submitted by a Dutch architect back in 2011. Suffice it to say, the design was rejected.
I know that it's supposed to look like clouds, but to me it looks like 9/11 2.0
I'm all for bashing brutalism, but too many of those are simply beautiful buildings in dark skies or people expressing their own hatred
The title never mentions brutalism. Evil buildings.
Load More Replies...Very interesting examples of architecture. " Evil " ...... ? I don't think so.
Click on the light grey link below the bottom left corner of the post. It will take you to the original site and post. BP "borrows" most of its content from other sites and does not usually add any context/information...that might be considered actual work.
Load More Replies...I'm all for bashing brutalism, but too many of those are simply beautiful buildings in dark skies or people expressing their own hatred
The title never mentions brutalism. Evil buildings.
Load More Replies...Very interesting examples of architecture. " Evil " ...... ? I don't think so.
Click on the light grey link below the bottom left corner of the post. It will take you to the original site and post. BP "borrows" most of its content from other sites and does not usually add any context/information...that might be considered actual work.
Load More Replies...
