From miscalculated designs to abandoned megastructures, these architecture fails reveal the fine line between architectural genius and disaster.
From futuristic palaces to culture-filled megastructures, not every architectural dream stands the test of time. Across Spain and beyond, some of the world’s most ambitious projects have crumbled under the weight of technical errors, political indecision, or plain bad luck. These structures – once hailed as symbols of progress – now serve as cautionary tales of design gone wrong.
The most unsuspected corners around the world are home to great architecture fails – landmarks that were a resounding disappointment. In some cases, the structures have been repurposed; in others, they’ve been condemned to complete oblivion.
Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos Ciudad de Oviedo (Spain)
© Alamy
In Spain, at the centre of the urban centre of Oviedo stands “El Centollo” (the crab), the popular name given by the inhabitants to the Congress Palace designed by Santiago Calatrava. The 2,300-tonne shell was designed to fold and unfold, but engineers later warned that they could not guarantee visitor safety if the structure moved. Add to this the financial difficulties of sustaining the complex, leading to the definitive closure of the shopping centre it housed in 2019.
CREAA – Centre for the Creation of the Arts (Madrid, Spain)
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