Even the world’s most impressive structures aren’t immune to human error. From leaning towers to wobbling bridges, construction mistakes have cost billions to repair, caused embarrassing delays, and sometimes created unexpected tourist attractions. Here are 25 of the most expensive and notable construction blunders that have made headlines around the globe.
Aon Center, Chicago
Chicago’s Aon Center (formerly Amoco Building) required a complete exterior replacement just 17 years after construction. The original Italian Carrara marble proved too thin for Chicago’s extreme weather, cracking and bowing dangerously. The $80 million recladding with sturdier granite in 1990 added significant weight to the structure and became one of the most expensive building renovations of its time.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
This waterfront park faced serious structural issues when designers failed to properly account for the corrosive effects of saltwater on the pier’s steel supports. The mistake led to premature deterioration requiring extensive repairs. The original construction error has led to ongoing maintenance challenges and repeated repair costs that have stretched into the millions.
Buckingham Palace, London
The iconic royal residence suffered from significant construction flaws discovered during renovations. Years of piecemeal additions and inadequate maintenance created critical issues with electrical systems, plumbing, and asbestos. The current repair program is estimated at £369 million ($458 million) to address these fundamental problems that threatened both safety and historical preservation.
Citigroup Center, New York
In 1978, structural engineer William LeMessurier discovered his team had used bolted rather than welded joints in this Manhattan skyscraper. This error meant the building could potentially collapse in strong quartering winds. Secret overnight repairs cost millions while the public remained unaware of the danger. The case became a famous ethical example in engineering education.
CNA Center, Chicago
This Chicago building became infamous when its windows began falling to the streets below. Thermal stress caused the building’s glass to crack and eventually detach completely. The entire facade required replacement at enormous cost, while streets around the building were closed for safety. The repairs and associated liability created expenses far beyond the original construction budget.
Dubai Aquarium
The massive Dubai Mall Aquarium suffered a significant leak shortly after opening in 2010. Improper sealing of the acrylic panels created dangerous stress on the structure containing millions of gallons of water. While quickly repaired, the incident led to emergency evacuations and raised serious questions about quality control in rapid construction projects during Dubai’s building boom.
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kansas City
In 1981, a catastrophic structural failure at this hotel caused walkways to collapse, killing 114 people in one of America’s deadliest structural failures. The disaster resulted from a seemingly minor design change that doubled the load on crucial support rods. Beyond the incalculable human cost, the hotel faced millions in damages, legal settlements, and a complete interior reconstruction.
I-35 Bridge, Minneapolis
This bridge’s catastrophic collapse in 2007 killed 13 people and injured 145 others. The failure stemmed from design flaws including inadequate gusset plates compounded by increased weight from construction equipment. The replacement bridge cost $234 million, but the total economic impact including emergency response, litigation, and lost commerce exceeded $500 million.
John Hancock Tower, Boston
Boston’s tallest building became known as the “Plywood Palace” when its 500-pound windows began popping out and crashing to the street below. Engineers discovered the building also swayed excessively, causing motion sickness to occupants. Complete window replacement and structural reinforcement cost millions, while the embarrassing plywood coverings remained visible during lengthy repairs.
Kemper Arena, Kansas City
Just a year after winning architectural awards, the Kemper Arena’s innovative roof collapsed under heavy rainfall in 1979. Investigators discovered the design failed to account for water accumulation, which created excessive weight in a progressively worsening situation. The repair costs exceeded $5 million, with additional expenses from event cancellations and revenue loss.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Perhaps the world’s most famous construction mistake, the tower began leaning during construction in the 12th century due to inadequate foundation in soft soil. The unintended tilt created an iconic tourist attraction, but has required centuries of expensive stabilization efforts. The most recent correction reduced the lean by 17 inches at a cost of $30 million.
Mets CitiField, New York
The New York Mets’ stadium faced criticism for design flaws including obstructed views, poor playing conditions, and dimensions that severely disadvantaged hitters. While aesthetically impressive, these functional issues required expensive modifications after opening. The mistakes added millions to the already massive $850 million construction cost.
Millennium Dome, London
This massive structure became a symbol of wasteful spending when it failed to attract projected visitor numbers for its millennium celebration purpose. While not a structural failure, the project represents a planning and purpose mistake. The dome cost British taxpayers £789 million, only to sit mostly empty before eventual conversion into the O2 entertainment venue.
Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang
North Korea’s 105-story “Hotel of Doom” stands as perhaps the most expensive construction mistake never completed. Construction began in 1987 but stopped in 1992 due to structural issues, economic problems, and reportedly poor quality concrete and crooked elevator shafts. After decades sitting empty, exterior completion in 2011 still left the interior unfinished, with total costs estimated between $750 million and $2 billion.
South China Mall
This enormous shopping center in Dongguan opened in 2005 with space for 2,350 stores but remained largely vacant for years, earning the nickname “ghost mall.” The fundamental mistake was overestimating demand and building in an inconvenient location without adequate transportation. With construction costs around $1.3 billion, the mostly empty mall became a monument to planning failure.
Stata Center, MIT
Designed by Frank Gehry, MIT’s Stata Center suffered from significant construction defects including cracks, leaks, and drainage problems. The university filed a lawsuit against Gehry and the construction company in 2007, seeking to recover repair costs for the $300 million building. The innovative design proved challenging to properly waterproof and maintain.
Sydney Opera House
While now considered an architectural masterpiece, this iconic building experienced massive cost overruns and delays due to significant design changes and engineering challenges. Originally estimated at $7 million, the final cost reached $102 million, representing a 1,357% overrun. Construction took 16 years, ten more than planned, with the original architect resigning mid-project.
Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Washington
Nicknamed “Galloping Gertie,” this bridge famously collapsed in 1940 just four months after opening. Engineers had failed to account for aeroelastic flutter – the aerodynamic effect that caused the roadway to twist violently in even moderate winds. The disaster completely changed bridge design standards worldwide and cost $6 million (equivalent to over $110 million today).
The Harmon Hotel, Las Vegas
This ambitious part of the CityCenter complex was demolished before ever hosting a guest due to severe construction defects. Workers improperly installed critical reinforcing steel, compromising the building’s structural integrity. The mistake led to years of litigation, with demolition costs and legal fees reaching into the hundreds of millions on a project that cost $275 million to partially build.
The Quebec Bridge
Canada’s Quebec Bridge collapsed twice during construction – first in 1907, killing 75 workers, and again in 1916 when a center span fell while being hoisted into place. The engineering mistakes stemmed from miscalculations about the compression forces in this unprecedented cantilever design. The bridge eventually opened in 1919 at nearly double the original budget.
The Seongsu Bridge, Seoul, South Korea
서울특별시 소방재난본부/Wikimedia Commons
This bridge collapsed during morning rush hour in 1994, killing 32 people and injuring 17. Investigations revealed that poor welding, inadequate quality control, and improper maintenance led to the catastrophic failure. The bridge was rebuilt with enhanced safety features at considerable cost, but the human and economic toll of the original construction errors was immeasurable.
The Walkie Talkie, London
This distinctively shaped skyscraper became infamous for its concave design that concentrated sunlight onto the streets below, melting car parts and damaging shop fronts. The developers spent £10 million adding permanent sunshades to fix the “death ray” effect. The building also created dangerous wind tunnels at street level, requiring additional costly modifications.
Vdara Hotel, Las Vegas
This curved glass hotel structure created a focused “death ray” effect similar to London’s Walkie Talkie. The concave design concentrated sunlight onto the pool area, reportedly hot enough to melt plastic and singe guests’ hair. The expensive solution included adding umbrellas, trees, and special film on windows – costs that could have been avoided with proper solar studies during design.
W.E.B. Du Bois Library, Massachusetts
The University of Massachusetts’ 26-story library began sinking shortly after construction because engineers failed to account for the weight of books. The university had to remove books from the upper floors and spent millions reinforcing the structure. The building stands as a reminder that even fundamental purposes (holding books) must be properly calculated in construction.
Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles
Another Frank Gehry design that created unintended consequences, this concert hall’s polished steel exterior reflected concentrated sunlight onto nearby sidewalks, raising temperatures to 140°F and blinding drivers. The fix required workers to sand down 13,000 square feet of the shiny surfaces at considerable expense, diminishing the original brilliant aesthetic Gehry had envisioned.
