15 mistakes of designers and builders, which turned into very tragic consequences

Architecture is an industry, perhaps, no less precise than surgery. In any case, not only comfort, but also human life directly depends on the quality work of architects and builders. Our review contains 15 cases when architectural mistakes cost people their lives.

1. Highway 19 Overpass, Laval, Quebec, 2006

Five people were killed and six were seriously injured as a result of the collapse of a 66-foot section of the roadway.

2. Ronan Point residential building, London, 1968

An explosion in one of the apartments of the 22-storey Ronan Point building in London, where all building codes and regulations were met, led to a progressive collapse. The accident occurred due to the fact that the design scheme was similar to a house of cards. This tragedy claimed the lives of four people.

3. Pier One Playground, Brooklyn, New York, 2010

The engineers who designed this playground focused on its futuristic design and completely forgot to think through the materials. Most of the structures were made of pure steel, which was heated to 50 degrees in the summer months.

4. Camper Arena, Kansas City, Missouri, 1979

The roof of the Camper Arena consisted of several large-span coverings that were supposed to protect from rain and wind, but the strength of the bolts on which it was held was calculated incorrectly. In 1979, the roof collapsed. Fortunately, no one was injured.

5. Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, 2005

The strikingly beautiful Walt Disney Concert Hall has become another attraction in Los Angeles. The famous architect Frank Gehry was engaged in the design of the building, and according to his plan, the exterior walls of the building were sheathed with steel panels. However, already in 2005, the builders had to change the facade of the building somewhat, as the metal became a powerful reflector of sunlight and all residents of nearby homes suffered from excessively high temperatures.

6. I-35W Bridge, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2007

Due to the outdated design, part of the freeway bridge collapsed during rush hour, causing several cars to slide into the Mississippi River. 13 people were killed and 145 more were injured.

7. Seongsu Tege Bridge, Seoul, South Korea, 1994

On October 21, 1994, a part of the bridge collapsed in Seoul, which was being repaired shortly before. From a 20-meter height, parts of the bridge, along with buses and cars, collapsed into the river. The tragedy claimed the lives of 32 people, most of whom are children.

8. Sampoong Shopping Mall, Seoul, South Korea, 1995

On July 9, 1995, as a result of gross violations of building codes, one of the largest buildings in South Korea, the Sampoong Shopping Center, collapsed. 502 people died under the rubble of the building, 937 were injured and seriously injured.

9. The Great Boston Tunnel, Boston, 2006

On July 10, 2006, a ceiling weighing about 25 tons collapsed in a tunnel through which cars were moving. A woman died under the rubble.

10. Bridge over the Tuo - Fenghuang River, China, 2007

In August 2007, in the Chinese province of Hanan, the only 268-meter bridge over the Tuo River collapsed. The disaster occurred during the dismantling of scaffolding. As a result of the accident, 30 people were killed, 60 were injured, and more than 10 were missing.

11. Ville-Marie Tunnel, Montreal, Canada, 2011

Due to an outdated structure in the Ville-Marie tunnel, a concrete slab collapsed on the road, which was part of a concrete structure installed in order for drivers' eyes to adapt faster to the darkness in the tunnel. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident.

12. Val di Stave, Italy, 1985

The breakthrough of the Stave dam in 1985 claimed the lives of 248 people and destroyed 62 buildings.

13. Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri, 1981

On July 17, 1981, during a party in the atrium of the hotel, two suspended galleries located on top of each other collapsed. As a result of this incident, 114 people were killed, 216 were seriously injured.

14. Railroad Bridge, Jefferson City, Missouri, 1855

Due to the inattention of the builders, the first passenger train that passed through the new railway caused its collapse. This tragedy claimed the lives of 30 people.

15. Banqiao Dam, Henan Province, People's Republic of China, 1975

Banqiao is a dirt dam built in 1952 to protect against floods. During the construction of the dam, gross mistakes were made, and it was covered with cracks, and subsequently could not withstand the pressure of the tropical typhoon Nina. As a result of the flooding, 26,000 people died.