September 1st, 2026
Vol. 1
15 things to open, click, read, snort, buy, question, or ignore.
your call.
The Ray and Maria Stata Center
Cambridge, Massachusetts
This Center was built for MIT by Frank Gehry, a renowned architect. This building's design caused a slew of issues. There were chronic roof leaks, dangerous sheets of ice falling from the walls during winter and tremendous mold growth everywhere. Gehry was sued by MIT for the defects.
Vdara Hotel
Las Vegas, Nevada
Same design as the Walkie Talkie, this luxury hotel concentrated the light directly on the swimming pool deck. It melted plastic cups, scorched guests' hair. It was affectionately nicknamed the "Death Ray Hotel".
20 Fenchurch Street "The Walkie Talkie"
London, England
This building referred to as the Walkie Talkie was built with a concave glass facade so massive that it acted as a parabolic mirror that took the sun's rays and concentrated them into one beam which was reflected on the street below.
This beam, melted parked cars, charred storefronts and was dubbed the "Walkie Scorchie" until a permanent shading system was installed.
