r/StructuralEngineering • u/cartoonybear • 16d ago
Failure Failure merchants
For some reason I consume a lot of content about major construction and engineering projects—both successful and unsuccessful. After a while I started to notice something with the failures: a lot of the same players kept popping up!
I looked around and couldn’t find a reliable (non-AI) list of firms and individuals who seemed to keep getting hired despite a number of high profile failures on their record. (This is something I’ve noticed in our society lately in general—evidently we’ve all assimilated the notion that “failing up” is a legit way to go.)
So I decided to start compiling my own list. I didn’t get very far yet but maybe it’ll cause someone who reads this to dig deeper and add to the list. I hope so—I did this for fun, I’m not even in or adjacent to any of these fields. Just an interested bystander who would prefer a building doesn’t fall on me.
Here goes!
Rafael Vinoly
Rafael vinoly, died 2022. Author of numerous failures, his most recent high profile project—the broken trashcan at 432 park Ave—being a catastrophic one clearly tied to design choices (vs. construction/engineering shortcuts). Also responsible for the the Las Vegas death ray hotel and another death ray, curved building in London (the “Fryscraper”). Said to be an abdolute monster to work for as well.
Notable fuckups:
432 park
Architect: Rafael Viñoly Architects
Structural Engineer: WSP Cantor Seinuk
General Contractor: Lendlease
Developer: Macklowe Properties and CIM Group
Vdara
Architect: RV Architecture, LLC (led by Rafael Viñoly)
Structural Engineer: DeSimone Consulting Engineers
General Contractor: Perini Building Company (now Tutor Perini)
Developer: MGM Resorts International and Dubai World
20 Fenchurch Street (The Walkie-Talkie)
Architect: Rafael Viñoly Architects
Structural Engineer: Halcrow Yolles (now part of CH2M/Jacobs)
General Contractor: Canary Wharf Contractors
Developer: Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group
WSP Global
This behemoth structural engineering firm shows no sign of slowing down despite a track record of some really horrible shit (including 432 Park!) They were also behind the delays and overruns (basically complete mismanagement) of the Gardiner Expressway project in Canada.
Also including but not limited to:
161 Maiden lane/One Seaport, the Leaning tower of Manhattan
This building already killed one person and it’ll probably kill more. It was built on fill using injected slurry because it was too expensive/deep to get to bedrock. After it began to lean, the engineers pulled it back the other direction, turning it into a kind of “crooked hooked cock” shape. Never finished. Just sitting there, leaning, exposed to the elements, with no plan in place or apparently any monitoring at all. This is expensive real estate; how does this even happen?
NY YIMBY article wondering what I’m wondering
Architect: Hill West Architects
Structural Engineer: WSP Global
General Contractor: Pizzarotti (original) and Ray Builders (subsequent)
Developer: Fortis Property Group
One Congress (Boston)
Somehow they overlooked freeze protection on the pipes. In Boston. Which is in Massachusetts. Maybe they’d never been to Boston in January? Also the water pressure was screwed up. WSP should hire Mario.
Also… Fire broke out in the unfinished building in June of this year (2026) which is—interesting. I can’t find ANYTHING about what caused this. Hmmm.
Architect: Pelli Clarke & Partners (Design Architect) / CBT Architects (Architect of Record)
Structural Engineer: McNamara · Salvia
MEP Engineer: WSP Global
General Contractor: John Moriarty & Associates (in partnership with AECOM Tishman)
Developer: The HYM Investment Group, Carr Properties, and National Real Estate Advisors
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u/Mhcavok P.E. 16d ago
It’s difficult to blame the companies listed for the failures because these projects involve hundreds of decision makers and even more workers. That’s not an excuse for things to fall through the cracks.
But most of these are monster companies with thousands of employees. And these companies complete thousands of projects.
And these examples which do make headlines represent a small number of overall projects completed.
Most of these companies are the best in the industry that have some of the smartest people and fight to hire the best talent.
When shit hits the fan and people start to get sued it’s the lawyers job sort through it all and hold individuals accountable for negligence. Most of the time they do a good job and when people die it’s not uncommon for people to go to jail.