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Article created by: Eglė Bliabaitė

The 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.

#1

My Classroom Has These Floor Outlets. It's Basically The Toe Stubber 5000

Raised floor socket design fail in a public space with a foot nearby, highlighting a safety hazard.

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    #2

    Leg Space In A Cricket Stadium

    Design fail with poorly arranged yellow stadium seats, hindering comfort and functionality.

    stuckintrraffic , stuckintrraffic Report

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    #3

    There Are Three Steps Down At The Entrance To This Lobby

    Empty, poorly designed public space with gray tile flooring and no visible seating or decor.

    HothHanSolo Report

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    #4

    Public Restroom Stalls With... Viewing Windows? Why?

    Public design fail with a restroom stall door cut too short, exposing a toilet and missing privacy.

    TheOneTheUno Report

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    #5

    They Put Circus Mirrors In My Local Gym

    Distorted gym mirror above dumbbells, a design fail in public spaces causing visual confusion.

    Guwoq Report

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    #6

    My School Installed A New Beamer. I Nominate Them For "The Best Engineering 2017"

    Ceiling projector beam obstructed by a lighting fixture, one of many public design fails.

    Triomat Report

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    #7

    This Was The "Sink" In A Restaurant

    Public design fail: a bathroom sink with water pooling on a flat countertop, lacking a proper basin.

    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.

    CoolBDPhenom03 Report

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    #8

    At Least It's Padded

    Colorful slide design fail with obstructive pole, indoor play area.

    cheekymrs Report

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    #9

    The Lights In This Hallway

    Misaligned ceiling lights in a hallway, illustrating a public design fail.

    ntheg111 Report

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    #10

    Lets Hope There Won't Be Fire

    Fire exit design fail with multiple locks and a push bar, compromising emergency access.

    robric1985 Report

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    #11

    Placing The Emergency Door Button Next To The Children's Play Area

    A confusing public design fail with a green control panel next to a child's play area on a wall.

    CRIMSONSNOW2019 Report

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    #12

    These Stairs

    Glass barrier blocking stairway, showcasing a design fail in a public place.

    adynako Report

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    #13

    This Is The View Of The Stage At The Concert I'm At

    Public design fail with obstructed view in an arena, showcasing empty seats and poor visibility.

    thatcancerfurry Report

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    #14

    This Aquatic-Themed Hospital Couch Weirdly Has An Underwater Giraffe On It

    Close-up of patterned seat fabric featuring animals, showcasing a design fail in public place with distorted illustrations.

    CoopDaWoop Report

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    #15

    Perfectly Thought Classroom

    Projection design fail with a light blocking half a woman's face on a screen, showing a public design oversight.

    Brunorto Report

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    #16

    Who Wouldn’t Want A Ceiling That Looks Like It’s Covered With Hair?

    Tile wall with a confusing design resembling tangled lines in a public space, illustrating design fails.

    im-jared-im-19 Report

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    #17

    Steps That Are Too Long For One Step, But Too Short For Two

    Modern stair design fail in a public place, featuring uneven steps and risky layout.

    enzodr Report

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    data1001 avatar
    Data1001
    Data1001
    Community Member
    10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'd be running up or down those stairs every time I took them.

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    #18

    Cyber-Greco-Roman Architecture

    Visible design fail with a cable poorly integrated into ornate wall architecture in a public building.

    Bmchris44 Report

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    #19

    My School's Locker Can't Even Fit My Backpack Because Of Those Shelves

    Locker design fail with a gray backpack partially stuck due to a misaligned internal shelf.

    zucclivan Report

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    #20

    They Replaced Half The Mirrors In My Local Shopping Mall's Bathroom With Advertising Boards

    Public design fail featuring a TV screen placed inconveniently above a bathroom sink.

    BradleyZ17 Report

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    #21

    "Mind The Step"

    Wheelchair accessible door with a step warning, illustrating a public design fail.

    tyw7 Report

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    #22

    Installed Those Elevator Buttons, Boss

    Elevator panel design fail with confusing button order, showcasing an atrocious layout.

    compuryan Report

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    #23

    My View At A Movie Theater Last Night

    Reclined feet in cinema slippers facing a "Coming Soon" screen in a public place design fail.

    NeighborhoodLow8413 Report

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    #24

    My Sister And I Went To Use The Bathroom At My Other Sister's Softball Game And We Saw This

    Row of five toilet design fails in a public restroom with no partitions.

    BreeMore Report

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    #25

    The Staircase At My Hotel Room Just Drops Off

    Spiral staircase leading to a door with stairs abruptly ending, showcasing a significant design fail in public spaces.

    Opposite_Strategy_43 Report

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    #26

    World's Most Practical Design

    Mirrors in a restroom creating a fragmented reflection, exemplifying public design fails.

    IndyNightSky Report

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    #27

    This Escalator Requires That You Still Use The Stairs

    Escalators in a mall lead to a beverage kiosk, highlighting design fails in public spaces.

    Justhereforbiz Report

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    #28

    This Door

    Public design fail: door with protractor markings misaligned on floor.

    ZeroDamnChill Report

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    #29

    Kids' Area In A Hospital's Lobby. N Is For... Nugget?

    Alphabet-themed carpet with design fail showing inaccurate animal-letter pairing in a public space.

    SleezeDemon Report

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    #30

    My Friend Saw This At The Cinema

    Legs resting on a wall-blocked cinema seat, highlighting design fail in public place.

    carrotlovernomnomnom Report

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    #31

    Meanwhile In Supermarket

    Curved floor tiles in public space, illustrating a design fail.

    iGniSsak Report

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    #32

    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

    Stage lights illuminate a pianist in a dim venue, with a bathroom unexpectedly visible nearby, showcasing a design fail.

    eggnog_alcoholic Report

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    #33

    The Only Unlocked Bathroom At My School

    Public design fails: restroom with poor layout and a misaligned door handle.

    SuccessfulNarwhal576 Report

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    #34

    Wheelchair Accessible Washrooms Are Located On The Second Floor. Just A Quick Trip Up The Escalator

    Escalator design fail in public place, with a confusing accessibility sign blocking access.

    _timewasted Report

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    #35

    I Found This Gem At A Hotel In Wisconsin

    Wall-mounted door in public space, showcasing a design fail.

    drkstrracingjr Report

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    #36

    The Way These Canvases Were Hung Up In The Bathroom Of My Local Sushi Restaurant

    Three-panel design showing a misaligned famous wave, illustrating a public place design fail.

    stephanonymous Report

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    #37

    This Weird Door At The Top Of The Stairs In A Hotel

    Public design fail: A doorway leads directly into a wall at the top of a staircase.

    AlephMartian Report

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    #38

    Oddly Placed Phone In A Waiting Room

    Phone placed awkwardly high on a wall in a public waiting area, showcasing a design fail.

    Noemo19 Report

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    #39

    My View At The Kings Theater, Portsmouth, UK

    A pillar obstructing the view in a theater balcony, highlighting a public design fail.

    Crankyjak98 Report

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    #40

    This Pull Door At Panda Express

    Public design fail showing a door with a "PULL" sign next to a "PUSH" sign and a wet floor caution.

    inquisitivewinston Report

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    #41

    This Hallway Is Lined With 12 Framed Copies Of The Same Picture

    Hallway with skewed flower paintings showcasing a public design fail.

    itsSlon Report

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    #42

    Nice Idea Badly Executed

    Unclear floor directory in public place showcasing design fails in signage layout.

    judd_in_the_barn Report

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    #43

    Which Floor Am I On?

    Wall art design fail with part of a number obscured by railings in a public space.

    SherbetIndividual128 Report

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    #44

    These Cinema Cup Holders Have No Bottoms, So They Only Fit Super-Large Drink Cups

    Blue theater seats with misaligned cup holders showing a design fail in public space.




    Shakes-Fear Report

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