There comes a point when a supposedly quirky architectural design becomes questionable. It’s usually when the chosen theme diminishes the structure’s functionality and purpose, like in the designs you’re about to see.
These photos are from the “That’s It, I’m Architecture Shaming” Facebook group. If the name isn’t a total giveaway, it calls attention to building and home designs that cause puzzlement.
Here, you’ll find images of staircases you wouldn’t dare step on, oddly placed toilets and urinals, and houses that look haphazardly built in The Sims.
More than 855,000 people keep the page alive, and we’ve picked those that stood out in the most baffling way. Hopefully, seeing these also gives you a good enough idea of what to avoid for your future designs.
Difficult To Align
Gotta Love An Add-On. Denver, Colorado
Hug Me!
Experts have revealed a connection between architecture and people’s emotions. A BBC report mentioned recent findings by neuroscientist Colin Ellard about how we are most affected by building facades.
In the study, Ellard and the participants walked past a Whole Foods store in Lower Manhattan. According to wristband readings and surveys, the store’s smoked-glass frontage caused a drop in their arousal and mood states.
Death Stairs
Climb The Ladder To The Top Of The Kitchen Counter, Then Take The Steps To The Bedroom Loft. Never Mind That The Hand Rail Is Where Your Feet Are. It’s Fine
(Tiny house Airbnb in Colorado, husband for scale.)
This Is The Front Of The House
The report mentioned the Seattle Central Library’s interior architecture, describing it as “one of the most notoriously disorienting buildings.” According to architect and Northumbria University professor Ruth Dalton, the building’s one-way escalators could be a problem. As she told BBC, we have specific expectations regarding navigation.
“There are very few situations in the real world where you can go from A to B via one route, and you’re forced to take a different route from B back to A,” she explained, noting that it can confuse people.