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50 Times People Spotted Stupid Design Decisions In Public Places And Just Had To Share
We often form our opinion of a city by judging the quality of its public spaces. If they give us a hard time, most likely we won't be too psyched about returning to it.
And unfortunately, there are plenty of ways urban planners and interior designers ruin our everyday life and force us into dreadful anxiety-inducing situations.
They make us sit on uncomfortable benches, walk around trippy floors, and go number two in bathroom stalls so revealing, others are able to see our facial expressions.
To show how ridiculous it can get, Bored Panda has put together some of the worst public space "solutions" ever created—we deserve better!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
The Chairs Waiting For You In The Laser Eye Clinic's Reception
Kim Blizzard 2 years ago
EVIL!!! When I had laser treatment done years ago, they escorted you to a small room where you met up with your person and waiting with other patients to be released. There was a TV in the corner, and I was freaking out because the screen was all blurry and fuzzy. Finally my husband leaned over and says "don't panic - that TV has really BAD reception".
Carol Thornton 2 years ago
I thought you tables were some sort of bench it was only other comments that I had to look again to see the glass see yhro chairs on between the tables xxx
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This is a test 2 years ago
The invisible chairs are ironic but the use of carpeting in a clinic is downright gross
Fat Harry 2 years ago
It's only a waiting room. How's this any different to having carpet in an office reception?
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Rissie 2 years ago
Now to be honest, that whole set up would make me wanna leave. From the grunge carpet to whatever is going on with those blinds looking so messy. The dying plant. What more.
Jackie Johnson 2 years ago
I wouldn't want these people messing with my eyes
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Mary Rose Kent 2 years ago
They want to test your taste with their weird vision of what an office should look like!
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Jp@nda 2 years ago
Sorry but if you cannot keep your waiting room, the first thing people see, in a professional, sanitary, and inviting manner. Especially if you're a doctor, then there is absolutely no way that I am going to allow you the chance to permanently alter my vision. I'm sure one patient could cover costs to redo that waiting room. Hell, cleaning and adjusting blinds and watering plants is basically free. That's just nasty
Keerthi Vardhan 2 years ago
If you get up from it for a rest room break, you're never gonna find it again.
Metallicd3ath 2 years ago
I thought the tables were stools at first, I thought the complaint was just "there's no back, they're uncomfortable"
GoldfishCrackers 2 years ago
Well just looking at the wonky blinds made my eyes hurt enough that I probably need help now, even if I did see the chairs.
Nixon Pryce 1 year ago
thinking theres a chair there and fall they 'll go like U NEED A LASER TREATMENT
Am a hooman 2 years ago
I thought the ‘chairs’ were the black tables lol i didnt even see the actual chairs
Paul Aasajärv 2 years ago
This is the worst prank EVER on people with poor eyesight! I have been repairing eyeglass frames for money for the last 20 years :)
Gladys Hayes Southerland 2 years ago
I took my glasses off & the chairs, faint already, disappeared
Janet Graham 2 years ago
Stained carpet, broken blinds, clear lucite chairs - I would not have confidence in this surgeon!
nala simba 2 years ago
I've seen this photo before, but only now I can "barely" see the chairs!
rustic raven 2 years ago
My eyes may need Laser treatment, but I still can see those clear chairs ;=][
Cybele Spanjaard 2 years ago
hahaahhahahahahhahhahahaha oh boy they have some humour or no foresight!!
zoolfa hussain 2 years ago
Those hairs are almost invisible 😳 That's why they say u need laser treatment
UrWhyteFright IsUrProblem 2 years ago
I had to zoom in. I missed the chairs completely. I was zooming into what I thought was benches
Natalia Allen 2 years ago
Reminds me of a visit to the ENT for mainly hard of hearing patients. Packed room and the assistant that came to call out the next patient had the quietest voice ever.... 50 people in the waiting room were like in unison "What?"
Kimberly Alexander 2 years ago
Lol! I didn't even notice the chairs at first! What's it supposed to be, A blind man's joke? Someone should be smacked!✋
shuka shuka 2 years ago
That's the Philip Starck ghost chair (probably knockoff). They're great.
Nazda Pokmov 2 years ago
Chairs? What chairs? I don't see any chairs...just vague outlines of chairs.... Wrong place to put see thru chairs...
Roy Webb 2 years ago
At the University of Utah's Moran Eye Clinic, a world-renowned facility for eye research, surgery, and treatment, the exit from the parking garage goes right into the afternoon sun. So if you've had your eyes dilated for treatment, you get a blast of sun right into your eyes.
#2
"I'm Sure You're All Wondering Why I've Gathered You Here Today"
To learn more about the topic, I got in touch with interior architect and lecturer of interior design at Vilnius College of Design, Judita Striukienė.
When we hear the term public space, we usually think of the outdoors. "Places like parks, gardens, and squares are often popular city attractions," Striukienė told Bored Panda. "They not only provide environmental and recreational benefits but also form a city's identity."
#3
No Words Needed Here
#4
As If Public Toilets Didn’t Give Me Enough Anxiety
However, public spaces can also be indoors. "These interiors can be both functional and aesthetic," Striukienė said.
"Think of health service establishments, for example. A well-executed professional interior design can even have a positive effect on the patients. It can relieve their stress and put them in a calmer state of mind."
In fact, Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, the co-founder of the architecture firm Snøhetta, argues that architects must begin considering indoor space just as public as outdoor space.
"Maybe with the sole exception of railway stations, public space is generally understood as outdoor space," Thorsen wrote. "Whether in the United States or in Europe, especially now with heightened concerns around security, there seems to be this determined way of privatizing everything that is indoors, even as we are increasingly aiming to improve access to public space outdoors. But in the layered systems of our cities of the future, we will need to focus on the public spaces that are found inside buildings—and make them accessible."
#5
At First Glance, I Didn’t Recognize This Restaurant Mural As The Sun
To get his point across, Thorsen highlighted a map of Rome made in 1748 by Giambattista Nolli. It only had two distinctions—what was private and what was public. "Whether it was indoor or outdoor, whether there was a church space or a plaza, it didn't really matter. [The map] told a different story of the city."
"There are some examples from today—the roof of our Oslo Opera House is outdoors, for instance, but it's on the building and publicly accessible. Opening up the Louvre and trying to let people walk through it 24 hours a day—as with the museum's recent takeover by the artist JR—is another way of not making a distinction between indoor and outdoor public space."
#6
This Fountain That Looks Like A Perfect Place To Sit Down
Panna Amelia Niezależna 2 years ago
I wonder how many people realised that when it was to late...
#7
Gas Station In Nebraska. The Station's Color Scheme Was Red. They Tried To Get Artsy
#8
No Broken Legs I Know Of
Thorsen thinks such decisions are essential to the way new architecture typologies develop, and architects should definitely have an influence on them.
"In certain situations, accessibility to indoor public space is enough," he said. "In other situations, you have to define the program for the particular indoor or outdoor spaces to be adequate. To use the example of the roof of the Opera House in Oslo again, it was basically programmed only for one thing, and that's to be walked on, for a promenade. But on occasion, it could be reprogrammed to hold an outdoor concert. Or it could be reprogrammed against the original intention by skaters or by a biker who actually drives his motorbike up and down the roof."
#9
Flat Carpet In A Hotel In Cologne, Germany Imitating A Curvy Surface
#10
Fake Hope Escalator
#11
The Design Of My School - This Is The Place Where Every Hallway Intersects
#12
Two Windows Of My Workplace Are Constantly Fighting For The Honor Of Being The One Who Is Going To Be Opened
The city belongs to its citizens. No matter if we're talking about what's inside or outside. And, according to Thorsen, these two dimensions can even intertwine.
"Maybe the outdoor can be programmed in such a way that it unlocks the possibility of the public spaces indoors. There's always a bit of urban planning in designing interiors. There's always a bit of interior design in an urban space. There's no question that interior architecture is professionalizing itself as well—interior architects are not seen as decorators of interior space anymore. The same is true of landscape architects. And those are only the traditional design professions," the architect said.
#13
The Single Worst Clock I Have Ever Seen. I Actually Said Aloud "Whyyy"
#14
They Built This School Like One Month Ago
#15
Ballroom Where Everyone Downstairs Can See Up Your Skirt
#16
This Is Not Rust. “It’s The Design”
Of course, that doesn't mean that every architect needs to be trained in every specialized profession. What Thorsen meant was that the industry is lacking an overall understanding of how people should collaborate.
"That's why we've introduced transposition as a working method in our office, where you not only sit around tables with a lot of specialists, but you actually swap professions during creative workshops," he said. "The only thing that can save the essence of architecture is some kind of collaborative model like this."
#17
I Love Eating At Restaurant Logo Here
#18
This Fancy Staircase Leads Directly Into A Wall
#19
This Chandelier At A Restaurant I Ate At Bothers Me So Much
#20
This Picture In McDonald's Was Hung Sideways
By adopting this model both in education and practice, Thorsen believes we would be better equipped to fully understand the effects of programming.
"We are usually generalists enough to understand that a change of use is sometimes demanded and that we shouldn't try to desperately hold on to certain kinds of programming. But the profession itself should, in my opinion, really contain that kind of knowledge, simply because it’s so tightly connected to the actual design task."
As these pictures show, we need to improve the relationship between buildings and the public. And Thorsen thinks there's no way we can do that without getting directly involved in programming ourselves.
#21
Designed For Dissuading The Homeless. Literally Just Uncomfortable For Everyone Else
#22
This Painting Inside A Local “Fancy” Restaurant
#23
$1 Toothbrushes Locked Behind Glass At Walmart. Walked Around The Store For 15 Minutes Looking For Someone “Qualified” To Unlock The Glass Case
Then had to be escorted to the register with said $1 toothbrush. I could walk out of here with an air fryer easier than a toothbrush
Wang Zhuang 2 years ago
That's really odd. I've never seen regular toothbrushes locked up behind glass. Maybe there are some town hooligans going around stealing toothbrushes...
#24
Some People Just Want To Watch The World Burn
#25
This Restaurant In London (Waiters Love It)
#26
Toilet Door With Another Door In It That Won't Stay Closed
#27
You Gotta Pay Attention On These Stairs In A Cinema
#28
My Bed At A Hotel I'm Staying In
Kassiopeia 2 years ago
So, you wake up, bonk your head at this, and then the flower pot falls on you
#29
Public Restrooms With Reflective Surfaces
#30
This Is Russia
#31
This Is The Logo For A "New York Style" Pizza Place In Ponce, Puerto Rico
#32
I Don't Know Why Brown Strings Is A Welcoming Wallpaper To This Toilet Entrance. It Just Feels Gross And Unwelcoming. I Mean, This Is A Public Place
#33
These Restroom Stalls Have Translucent Doors
#34
This New Wall Art In My Office
#35
Upon Walking In This Bathroom At The Supermarket I Was Initially Disgusted At Filth And Lack Of Cleanliness Until A Closer Look Revealed It Was Designed This Way
Demi Zwaan 2 years ago
And it is designed that way so you don't see the filth that is definitely still there.
#36
The Lobby Of This Medical Office Has An Alligator In The Floor
#37
Not Exactly The Color Pattern You Like To See In A Bathroom
Marcellus II 2 years ago
"Not the pattern you want to see in the bathroom"? OK, I'll bite: Where on earth would you want to see this pattern?
#38
Love To Shutterstock See This Kind Of Stuff
Gandalf the Pink 2 years ago (edited)
They didn't just print the stock photo without noticing, someone hand painted this with the stock photo as reference 💀💀💀
#39
The Paint In This Public Restroom
#40
Sometimes People Use The Left Part
#41
The Decorations On This Hotel Restaurant
#42
This Poster In My School Cafeteria Is So Badly Designed They Put Arrows So You Can Read It Correctly
#43
I'm Sure This Mirror Sounded Cool In Theory
#44
Not Sure If This Belongs Here But In My Opinion This Is The Real Problem With America. It's A Toilet Stall If You Were Wondering
#45
New Toilets At Work, Wonderful View On Our Interior Courtyard
#46
These Trash Cans At My School
Jonathan Douglas 2 years ago
Given their outdated school logo, I would say awareness of racism isn't their forté.
#47
A Poster At My Mom's Audiology Office
#48
I Had To Stop While Ordering Food At A Local Restaurant Because I Saw This Poster
Hot-chocolate-under-a-Sequoia. 2 years ago
50me mials lldo ionat ned. Ah yes. Just summoning a demon. Don't mind me.
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Duncan 2 years ago
How do some things even get finished without someone somewhere saying that it is a bad idea. To all to all those companies with tiles that look like that have poo on them, were you drunk when you designed it and all the way through to conception?
Zanshin 2 years ago
Because someone is getting paid. They don't care that it is screwed up. They just finish the job so they can collect their pay check. They are not going to wait for some on to correct the problem, which could take weeks, months or longer.
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Daraqshan Urooj Naeem 2 years ago
This was so funny 😂😂😂😂I couldn't hold my laugh at all. I just keep questioning WHY?! JUST WHY?!
Bryan With A Why 2 years ago
None of these people went to design school, they're just horrible people.
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Denise LeBloch 2 years ago
So can you do one on excellent and functional design in the public space. For example, In Switzerland the airports have free luggage carts that are equipped to go up and down the escalators. Brilliant! We need more smart design and less "just gettin' by."
PiscesInTheWild 1 year ago (edited)
For those Brits (or just people in general who don't like the space between bathroom stall doors... such as myself), there was a stall like that at my school when I was a kid that had a crack directly aligned with the mirror. Anyone could look in the mirror at the right angle and see right where the toilet sat. Needless to say, barely anyone used this particular stall :)
Deborah Christie 2 years ago
I found the one with the hearing aid batteries hilarious. I love you can supposedly "hear" the Grand Canyon, Italy and Prague! Lmao?
Sebastian Melmoth 2 years ago
I will never understand the “fashion, never function” aesthetic.
zoolfa hussain 2 years ago
Yoh I looked at all these pictures n am shocked.peoples or designers have a s**t sense of humour .you really get some whacked stuff out there.thanks to the photographer for showing us these n making me laugh
fandomprincess (any pronouns) 2 years ago
Both my parents are engineers... Should I show them this or not?
Liesl English 2 years ago
I worked at a school where the teachers bathroom was also the supply closet. There were shelves and boxes of documents. And then they just put a toilet and a sink in there. Didn't seem sanitary *at all*
Lorrie Finley 2 years ago
Or the other way around most likely. And no it's very unsanitary especially with COVID 19. The virus (found in fecal material) that people cough in that room lives on inanimate objects for 48 hours so could easily be spread to the entire school population within hours.
Load More Replies...
Lorrie Finley 2 years ago
It's entirely possible considering the enormous size of the internet, it's continual growth and the length of time in existence. You may have seen some but it doesn't mean others have.
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Logan Chipman 1 year ago
Sirs I am only saying that because I genuinely want to teach them the difference. I mean I'm 20 and I can read and write better than 25-30 year Olds and up, when I correct someone I'm not trying to be a grammar nazi I'm trying to teach them the proper way to spell and pronounce something. And yes I do believe teenage slang has a part to play because people will sit there and say u, ur, etc. I am only saying it could influence them not knowing the difference between your, you're, you've. And even words like they're, their, they've, I have seen those used wrong so many times and by people alot older than me. Not trying to be rude or mean towards anybody her I am just genuinely wanting to teach some of them. P.S. not talking about people who currently have A's in english, I'm talking about the ones who are failing. (and I'm also not talking about the ones who have reading/writing disabilities they get free passes)and sure I may not be a dictionary but when I read outloud and wrote back in middle school my teacher set me as a prime example for people in 8th grade.
Logan Chipman 1 year ago
P.s.s, just trying to teach older generations proper etiquette.
Load More Replies...
Duncan 2 years ago
How do some things even get finished without someone somewhere saying that it is a bad idea. To all to all those companies with tiles that look like that have poo on them, were you drunk when you designed it and all the way through to conception?
Zanshin 2 years ago
Because someone is getting paid. They don't care that it is screwed up. They just finish the job so they can collect their pay check. They are not going to wait for some on to correct the problem, which could take weeks, months or longer.
Load More Replies... Daraqshan Urooj Naeem 2 years ago
This was so funny 😂😂😂😂I couldn't hold my laugh at all. I just keep questioning WHY?! JUST WHY?!
Bryan With A Why 2 years ago
None of these people went to design school, they're just horrible people.
Load More Replies... Denise LeBloch 2 years ago
So can you do one on excellent and functional design in the public space. For example, In Switzerland the airports have free luggage carts that are equipped to go up and down the escalators. Brilliant! We need more smart design and less "just gettin' by."
PiscesInTheWild 1 year ago (edited)
For those Brits (or just people in general who don't like the space between bathroom stall doors... such as myself), there was a stall like that at my school when I was a kid that had a crack directly aligned with the mirror. Anyone could look in the mirror at the right angle and see right where the toilet sat. Needless to say, barely anyone used this particular stall :)
Deborah Christie 2 years ago
I found the one with the hearing aid batteries hilarious. I love you can supposedly "hear" the Grand Canyon, Italy and Prague! Lmao?
Sebastian Melmoth 2 years ago
I will never understand the “fashion, never function” aesthetic.
zoolfa hussain 2 years ago
Yoh I looked at all these pictures n am shocked.peoples or designers have a s**t sense of humour .you really get some whacked stuff out there.thanks to the photographer for showing us these n making me laugh
fandomprincess (any pronouns) 2 years ago
Both my parents are engineers... Should I show them this or not?
Liesl English 2 years ago
I worked at a school where the teachers bathroom was also the supply closet. There were shelves and boxes of documents. And then they just put a toilet and a sink in there. Didn't seem sanitary *at all*
Lorrie Finley 2 years ago
Or the other way around most likely. And no it's very unsanitary especially with COVID 19. The virus (found in fecal material) that people cough in that room lives on inanimate objects for 48 hours so could easily be spread to the entire school population within hours.
Load More Replies... Lorrie Finley 2 years ago
It's entirely possible considering the enormous size of the internet, it's continual growth and the length of time in existence. You may have seen some but it doesn't mean others have.
Load More Replies... Logan Chipman 1 year ago
Sirs I am only saying that because I genuinely want to teach them the difference. I mean I'm 20 and I can read and write better than 25-30 year Olds and up, when I correct someone I'm not trying to be a grammar nazi I'm trying to teach them the proper way to spell and pronounce something. And yes I do believe teenage slang has a part to play because people will sit there and say u, ur, etc. I am only saying it could influence them not knowing the difference between your, you're, you've. And even words like they're, their, they've, I have seen those used wrong so many times and by people alot older than me. Not trying to be rude or mean towards anybody her I am just genuinely wanting to teach some of them. P.S. not talking about people who currently have A's in english, I'm talking about the ones who are failing. (and I'm also not talking about the ones who have reading/writing disabilities they get free passes)and sure I may not be a dictionary but when I read outloud and wrote back in middle school my teacher set me as a prime example for people in 8th grade.
Logan Chipman 1 year ago
P.s.s, just trying to teach older generations proper etiquette.
Load More Replies... 
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