1. Navy Barracks Look Like Swastika (Still!)



2013 picture of buildings
 
The Naval Amphibious base compound in Coronado, CA was built in the 1960s to house young sailors. It consists of 4 L-shaped buildings centered around a hub. Cut to 2007, where a diligent Google Earth surfer “discovered” that the building's configuration resembled a giant Nazi Swastika. The architect John Mock defended his design, saying the Swastika wasn't intentional and that the building even won an award. Because of the uproar, however, the Navy apologized and said they would spend up to $600,000 on “landscaping and architectural modifications”. But, a recent visit to the site in Google Earth reveals the design is still there, lending credence to a conspiracy theory that it was indeed purposeful. Other “evidence” is detailed in an article in the Daily Kos, which points out that any building would not only have above-view blueprints, but also a miniature model made. Any person, especially one in the US military would notice the Swastika resemblance immediately. Another fun fact: the buildings are built at the intersection of Tulagi and Bougainville, two streets named after World War II battles. Innocent mistake, or deep conspiracy? Tell us what you think in the comments!

3. Las Vegas Vdara Hotel “Death Ray”



The Vdara Hotel in Las Vegas is a hotspot... literally. The glass crescent-shaped building with a pool is fairly unremarkable by Vegas standards. But combined with the glaring hot sun and lack of other obstructions, the curvature turned out to serve as a giant magnifying glass of sorts, creating what MGM Resorts (the building's owners) like to call a “solar convergence” but employees have nicknamed the “death ray”. The building made news when a visitor complained he had been burned, his hair singed, and his plastic bag melted from this “ray”. A similar problem occurred when Frank Geary's Disney Hall opened in Downtown Los Angeles; its swirling metallic frame was eventually sandblasted to deal with the intense glare that local residents complained was heating up their condos by 15 degrees. (As of now, no word about a fix for the Vdara - maybe it's a tourist attraction.)

5. Frank Lloyd Wright's Demolished Larkin Administration Building



Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the most famous names in architecture, but he's also famous for his shoddy work (as well as being a huge jerk). He may have built many iconic buildings including Fallingwater in 1935, considered one of America's best, but many of his buildings are plagued with design flaws. One of the most notorious was the Larkin Administration Building, designed and built for the Larkin Soap company in Buffalo, NY in 1906. The building itself was innovative in a lot of ways, using natural sunlight, its own “air conditioning”, and included the first hanging bathroom stalls. But, like many of Wright's structures, form took precedent over function. All of its interior light came from the skylight 76-feet above the main floor, which was supposed to be a communal working area, with tiny offices pushed off to the side. There were reports of leaky roofs, dark workspaces, and lack of privacy. Many praised the design, but some felt it was monstrous and bleak, especially from the outside. Hard times fell on the company during the Great Depression, and eventually folded in 1945. Because of its unusual design and high upkeep costs, it sat vacant for 5 years, with nobody ponying up to foot the bill. Finally, in 1950 it was ordered demolished by the City, a process which took 2 years because of its density. Some consider the destruction of the building to be “blunder” as to its historical significance, others say the building should have never constructed in such a extravagant fashion. Either way, it is a huge fail.