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The same way some buildings can leave people in awe because of how impressive they are, others can shock them for all the wrong reasons. Poor planning, terrible choice of materials, or lack of windows – these are just a few features of what can really ruin an edifice, which might end up being ‘showcased’ on the ‘Urban Hell’ subreddit.

Today, that is what we’re focusing on – some of the worst examples of architecture, as shared by members of the ‘Urban Hell’ community. Scroll down to find pictures of some of the most “hideous places human beings built or inhabit”, as the community presents the content itself, and upvote the ones that resemble urban hell to you the most.

Below you will also find Bored Panda’s interview with Danish Kurani, a designer and the founder of the Kurani architecture firm, who was kind enough to discuss what are some of the most important things to consider before constructing a building (so it doesn’t end up on the subreddit).

#2

One Of My Favorite Pictures Of Macau. Hotel Grand Lisboa In The Background

One Of My Favorite Pictures Of Macau. Hotel Grand Lisboa In The Background

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#3

The Ponds, A Suburb In Sydney. Packed In Like Sardines

The Ponds, A Suburb In Sydney. Packed In Like Sardines

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Lost Panda
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in Japan and have seen dense, but this is just depressing

similarly
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in Japan too. Recently, several houses in my neighborhood were sold and the houses torn down. The lots previously held one house each, but the developers put two houses on two of the lots and THREE houses on a third. On one of the three houses, their balcony is completely blocked from any view by the other two houses, which are less than 2 meters away.

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Robert Millar
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Imagine, in a country that has a continent's worth of space, that a developer is allowed to overexploit a small area like this.

Chyppa Homer
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Imagine going home drunk in that neighborhood. You'll visit 17 neighbors, before you find your house :D

John
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd hate to see what happens if one catches on fire. They'd all go up in flames pretty quickly.

Stephen Gross
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The density is not the issue here; it's the monotony. If each home were personalized, it would appear much more appealing.

LSD
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is what most new housing developments in the outer suburbs of Sydney look like 🫤

keyboardtek
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well it is like apartment living but at least you do not actually share a wall with your neighbor. And it looks like the back yards are community shared, which could make it easy to make friends. And solar panels are allowed.

Graham_Illegal
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Apartment living typically involves a mixed-use zone with access to parks, public transportation, and other amenities, whereas this area appears to be a car-dependent, residential-only neighborhood.

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LokisLilButterknife
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Little boxes on the hillside. Little boxes made of ticky tacky. Little boxes on the hillside. Little boxes all the same.

Emma S
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some of those houses look fairly spacious and there's at least a small gap in between them. You should go to the UK where 20 floor council flats and terraced housing are the norm.

G A
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Think the angle of the pic is deceiving. There's a fair size garden and they are detached so not too bad at all.

Arthur Waite
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd paint my front door some wild color like orange, and put a mural on the garage door.

George Costanza
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

FFS just make rowhouses. There's just unnecessary exterior walls here that could be fully insulated and more efficient.

Ripley
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah it is. I just googled it, and it's not exact, but a pretty close image. Rows of almost identical houses, very close together, no trees, and all with dark coloured roofs. Just like every other house-and-land package in Greater Sydney. This photo appears in a News.com.au article.

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Jaaawn
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My sisters home is like this but they all have huge gardens- just looks like paradise but ever so expensive and oy vey I couldn't handle the heat!

BrunoVI
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've defended American developments, but what's the point of this? Why not townhomes or towers? So you're on the ground floor, so what? You can be outside, but you can't be anywhere worth being?

Steven Meyer
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I cannot live like that, you could be in your own house open the window and then reach out of it and open your neighbors window! With my house there's 20 feet between my house and the neighbors house on either side.

MacintoshID
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Reminds me of some of the developments in Las Vegas before the bust in 2007-2008. Barely enough room to walk between the houses.

Leonie Marks
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hae you ever seen the Victorian 'back-to-back' houses in Northern England? Row upon row of red brick terraced houses where the back of the house is the front of the people in the next street's house. No gardens, obviously.

cugel.
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The point of this is to limit the amount of new infrastructure required and to curb urban sprawl. So the flipside is a before-and-after of bushland now covered in houses.

Louisa johnson
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In case you wanted a slice of the paradise they have all sold. https://www.frasersproperty.com.au/Portfolio/Residential/NSW/The-Ponds

Board Pan, duh.
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Liittle boxes on the hillside, 🎶 Little boxes made of ticky tacky Little boxes on the hillside... Little boxes all the same. 🎶 There's a green one and a pink one And a blue one and a yellow one And they're all made out of ticky tacky And they all look just the same

Purple_bio
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

well, lives up to the name i guess, possible majority old people homes, retirement areas-

JL
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good luck finding your house if you come home drunk.

Glen Ellyn
Community Member
1 month ago

This comment has been deleted.

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There is an abundance of features—or lack thereof—that can make a building or an entire area terrible to live in or even to look at. So, it’s no surprise that pictures of such eye-sore-like buildings often end up on the ‘Urban Hell’ subreddit, which, as of now, has roughly 1.3 million members.

According to its description, it’s a subreddit, dedicated, as mentioned before, to all the hideous places human beings built or inhabit, which encourages people to come there for aesthetic appreciation of the darker side of cities, towns, and villages in our world. “We welcome any photos which show either ugliness, or a problem in urban development. Rural and suburban hell are also allowed,” it reads.

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#5

Hong Kong's Incredibly Dense And Soulless Buildings

Hong Kong's Incredibly Dense And Soulless Buildings

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Weasel Wise
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I spent a few weeks living in one of these "apartments" in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong and can attest to how awful it would be to live in one of these full time. They're approximately 2.5msq, just enough room for a small bed and tiny fridge cuz the rest of the space is taken up by the bathroom, which is a toilet, shower, sink combo behind a sliding glass door. I didn't bother counting how many apartments were on my floor cuz I was busy squeezing through the narrow hallways filled with dressers and storage tubs owned by other residents since there's no space inside. Luckily, Hong Kong was hot and muggy in January, during my visit. So, I can only imagine how "lovely" these spaces are in the summer. 😬

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In order not to create something atrocious-looking, uninhabitable, or even dangerous, the people responsible for the edifices have to think long and hard about an abundance of details.

Discussing such details, architect Danish Kurani, pointed out that the purpose and functionality of the building are two of the most important things that have to be well thought-through before the construction starts. “Determine the purpose of the building and who it will serve and focus on solving real problems, prioritizing solutions over style,” he suggested in an interview with Bored Panda.

#6

Jalousie Neighborhood In Port-Au-Prince, Haiti

Jalousie Neighborhood In Port-Au-Prince, Haiti

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#7

Planned Towns Built For Forcibly Relocated Tibetan Families In Markham, Tibet By The CCP

Planned Towns Built For Forcibly Relocated Tibetan Families In Markham, Tibet By The CCP

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#8

Hong Kong Apartments

Hong Kong Apartments

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“Design the building with the ability to accommodate change,” Kurani continued, emphasizing the importance of adaptability. “Natural elements [are important, too]: understand the impact of natural factors such as light, air quality, and temperature on the building and its occupants.

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“Local context: source materials and construction approaches locally to minimize environmental impact and preserve the unique characteristics of the area. ​Emotional experience: design the building to evoke positive emotions and create a sense of well-being.”

#9

I’m In Chongqing At The Moment…

I’m In Chongqing At The Moment…

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keyboardtek
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

28 years ago we went to China to adopt our daughter. We saw huge decaying apartment buildings everywhere. The streets were jammed with humans. No wonder COVID spread so fast there.

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#10

Cairo, Egypt

Cairo, Egypt

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Spencer's slave no longer
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They didn't knock down the pyramids or other ancient artifacts to build a city for people. Pollution covers many huge cities around the world.

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#11

The City Of Belem Is Tearing Down A Forest Park To Build A Highway For The United Nations Climate Change Conference

The City Of Belem Is Tearing Down A Forest Park To Build A Highway For The United Nations Climate Change Conference

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Another factor that shouldn’t be overlooked, according to the founder of the architecture firm, is the holistic perspective, which entails considering the overall impact of the building on its surroundings and the broader community. It’s also crucial to take into account the context and environment in which the building will be located.

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#13

Mumbai, India

Mumbai, India

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#14

Spaghetti Junction In Kl, Malaysia

Spaghetti Junction In Kl, Malaysia

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“Understand the needs and challenges,” Danish continued to emphasize. “Have a clear understanding of the needs and challenges of the target users and establish clear objectives for the building based on the needs and aspirations of the users.

“Prioritize functionality and usability," he added, expanding on the list and emphasizing that it’s crucial to design the building to be functional and user-friendly, as well as sustainable and environmentally friendly. “Build in a way that is environmentally friendly and minimizes waste.”

#15

A Street In Mansoura, Egypt, With All The Signs For Doctors’ Offices

A Street In Mansoura, Egypt, With All The Signs For Doctors’ Offices

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#16

Main And Delaware Street, Kansas City

Main And Delaware Street, Kansas City

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#17

Cape Town, South Africa. One Of The Richest Cities On The Continent

Cape Town, South Africa. One Of The Richest Cities On The Continent

Ill_Information75 Report

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CD King
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a township….. where black people lived during apartheid ( and now)

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Long-term maintenance and adaptability are no less important, Danish Kurani suggested. “Design the building with long-term maintenance and adaptability in mind and incorporate feedback loops into the design process.”

According to him, it’s also beneficial to use data and knowledge from past projects and experts in related fields, so the person responsible can incorporate evidence-based design.

#19

Everything Wrong With American Cities, In One City Block

Everything Wrong With American Cities, In One City Block

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Jessica Bertram
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For those not in the US, those blue things around that block are unhoused (homeless) tent encampments. I think this is Phoenix

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In addition to thinking long and hard about the subtleties behind each and every building, as discussed by Danish Kurani, it’s also important for architecture firms to look at the bigger picture and evaluate their goals, too. According to data from 2021, close to 13% out of 89 surveyed firms admitted falling short on many goals. While it’s unclear if that is what leads to certain far-from-applaudable examples of architecture, it is arguably unlikely to make the cities look any better either.

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#21

A Street In Egypt Before And After Renovation

A Street In Egypt Before And After Renovation

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#22

Night In Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵

Night In Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵

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#23

"Us Cities Were Built For Cars" (Downtown Cincinnati, 1890 vs. 2023)

"Us Cities Were Built For Cars" (Downtown Cincinnati, 1890 vs. 2023)

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#24

Amazon Data Centers Under Construction Near Homes In Stone Ridge, Virginia

Amazon Data Centers Under Construction Near Homes In Stone Ridge, Virginia

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2x4b523p
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have been looking out into green fields for decades. The land owner got zoning approval for a solar farm and all the neighbours are rioting and signing petitions against it and I don’t understand why. I am ecstatic. Solar farm! No pollution, no traffic, no noise, no smells, no obstructed sunlight. We are so lucky. Could have been a pig farm, or a whole new quarter like other side of the town.

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#25

Azerbaijan Style Balcony

Azerbaijan Style Balcony

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#26

Once The Pride Of India Now Left In Shambles , Kolkata West Bengal High Solid Waste And Air Pollution

Once The Pride Of India Now Left In Shambles , Kolkata West Bengal High Solid Waste And Air Pollution

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#27

This Is Just Plain Idiotic Urban Planning

This Is Just Plain Idiotic Urban Planning

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#28

Shades With No Seats vs. Seats With No Shades

Shades With No Seats vs. Seats With No Shades

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Nicole Weymann
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Plus an almost completely sealed-off ground. I'm none too fond of manicured golf lawns, but depression inducing grey concrete is definitely worse. It makes the surrounding place unneccessarily hot, too, and one heavy downpour will make flood the streets, because the water has no place to go.

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#29

Faridabad, India Open Garbage Disposal Is Huge Problem Here, However No One Pay Attention To It

Faridabad, India Open Garbage Disposal Is Huge Problem Here, However No One Pay Attention To It

No-Weird-2120 Report

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keyboardtek
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When people are so brainwashed by their religious beliefs and the promise of happiness in an afterlife, that the quality of the here and now of real existence does not matter.

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#30

Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Urban Car Centric Nightmare

Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Urban Car Centric Nightmare

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Note: this post originally had 81 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

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