40 Design Fails That This Architecture Shaming Group Couldn’t Ignore

Not all buildings are created equal. Some are stunning works of art, others are just… confusing. That’s where the Architecture Shaming group comes in. This online community is dedicated to calling out questionable design choices, baffling layouts, and buildings that make you ask, ‘Why?’

From doorways to nowhere to windows that defy logic, these architectural fails will leave you both entertained and deeply concerned for whoever has to live or work in them.

Here are the funniest and most confusing architectural disasters that prove just because you can build something, doesn’t mean you should.


1. “When Your Clients Are Dipsy And Laa-Laa From Teletubbies So That Their Antennas Won’t Hit The Door Header”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

2. “This”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

3. “When You Really Love Columns”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

4. “My Daughter Captioned This, ‘I Want Six Of Every Shape Window You Have'”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

5. “Pretty”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

6. “Hi All! I Just Wanted To Introduce Myself And Share A Photo I Took Today. All I Can Say Is It’s Well Built”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

7. “Get A Load Of This Beauty!”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

8. “Waka Waka Waka!”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

9. “Is It Just Me Or Does This Look Like Somebody Gave It A Boot In The Rear?”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

10. “The Mind Reels”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

11. “Look, If You’ve Got A Useless Space, Might As Well Make It Interesting!”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

12. “Being So Bold To Believe You Could Build Homes, Let Alone Giant Homes, On A Literal Beach, Is The Pinnacle Of Hubris”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

13. “Just Saw This On Another Page, Thought Of This Page”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

14. “I Don’t Think This Is Decorated Right. Not My Listing Nor Photo”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

15. “Apartment Building In Poland”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

16. “Kaiser-Permanente Building In Timonium, Maryland With (In My Humble Opinion) Absolutely Hideous Exterior Cladding”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

17. “Can You Make It More Diagonal?”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

18. “The Sad Renovations Done In 2012 To The 16th Century Caldwell Tower In Scotland. The Addition Is Still There To This Day”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

19. “Seems Legit”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

20. “House In The Orchard, Prague, Czech Republic”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

21. “Prepping For Doomsday In Belgium”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

22. “When You Can’t Tell Where The Original House Starts And Ends”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

23. “I Actually Love This Home”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

24. “The Fireplace In Little Moreton Hall (Built Between 1504 And 1610) Looks Wonky, But It’s Actually Completely Straight. It’s The Rest Of The Room That’s Out Of Whack – It’s One Of The Wonkiest Buildings In England”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

25. “I Saw This While In The Detroit Area Last Week. Not Sure What To Say. Not Sure What They Were Thinking”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

26. “Unknown Location (Seen On Several Polish Pages, But Not Sure It’s In Poland)”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

27. “His Keeps Popping Up In My Feed For Ages.. (Stupidly I Clicked It That Probably Isnt Helping) I Guess They Are Having Trouble Selling This Hotel/Chapel”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

28. “Putting This In This Page Too. Abomination In Fayetteville, Ar. If It’s Gonna Be Bland Why Not At Least Be Symmetrical??”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

29. “We Should Have Used Better Glue”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

30. “Valley Architecture, Design By Mvrdv In Amsterdam”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

31. “Step Right Up! Or…down”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

32. “Container Castle”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

33. “Are My Eyes Playing With Me?! The Worst Part? This Build Doesn’t Have A Kitchen”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

34. “Never Loved The Blocky Split Levels That Are Cloned All Over The Pnw, And I Personally Think These Colors Make The Blockiness Worse. Esp Paired With Brick. Portland, Or”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

35. “Imagine Approving The Plans For This Complex?”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

36. “It’s Located In… Christchurch! More Info In Comments”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

37. “What In The…. Looks Like Someone Couldn’t Pick A Design”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

38. “Welcome To My Home Milady”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

39. “King Of The Cabinet”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming

40. “Oh Dear. Lv Just Went Full Longaberger Basket. What Do We Think, Team? Neat, Or Too Literal?”

That’s it, We’re Architecture Shaming
Stefanie

Stefanie Mustian

Stefanie is an architect with 15+ years of working both independently as well as on teams of some of the top Architectural Firms in the country located in Atlanta, Washington D.C. and New York. She currently runs BoardBatten.com a coastal architecture and design service in Port Aransas, Texas. She is also the wife of the dude who runs Pleated-Jeans.