We have already covered many impressive structures on our blog. There are buildings all over the world that are so breathtaking or special that they simply amaze us. We often ask ourselves the question: how could people build something like this? The development of technology, including in the construction industry, is constantly advancing, making an increasing number of things possible.
In fact, a whole series of construction projects were planned, but never reached the next stage. For a variety of reasons, they remained on the drawing board. In this article, we take a closer look at some of them and why these projects didn't make it past the planning phase.
Tatlin's Tower (Russia)
Monument to the Third International
The design of buildings often involves a great deal of creativity. Especially when the architect who creates the design is also an artist and incorporates this artistic streak into his work.
At the beginning of the 20th century, more precisely at the end of the 1920s, the whole of Russia was in a mood of optimism. After the fall of the Tsar and the end of the monarchy, the country was undergoing great changes. This was reflected in contemporary architecture.
The Russian Revolution encouraged the emergence of a new architectural style: Constructivism began to exert more and more influence. Rational, almost sober buildings were created, often made of industrial steel.
The architect and artist Tatlin designed a structure for the Third International to serve as its headquarters. In the history of Russia, this was the third international organization of socialist and communist parties that had ever been founded. The aim this time was to create a provisional government.
Tatlin spent two years designing this monumental building. The spiral tower made of steel and glass, rising at a slight angle, was intended to serve various purposes. It was to provide space for conference rooms, an information center, a radio station, and an observatory.
He wanted to create not only an architectural masterpiece, but also a symbol of the communist revolution, a symbol of the superiority of communism. Tatlin's Tower was undoubtedly one of the most important and significant designs of the 20th century. Yet it was never built.
The Third International was soon dissolved, giving way to the rule of Stalin. The costs for the planned construction were also unaffordable, not to mention the fact that the technical feasibility of the design was simply impossible – and still is today. Tatlin's original model, which he presented to the Third International, no longer exists, although there are some impressive replicas.
It is possible that this construction project could have been built at some point with a few adjustments, but there is probably a lack of motivation and will to take a project that is over 100 years old to the next stage. It will probably remain an 'idea that has been shelved forever.
X-Seed 4000 (Japan)
In Japan, the majority of the population lives in big cities. As a result, living space is a very scarce commodity here, with less than 20 m² (215 ft²) per person today. So it's understandable that Japan has decided to build upwards.
Not surprisingly, plans for the world's tallest building were drawn up in Tokyo. The X-Seed 4000 was designed in the 1990s by the Japanese architectural and engineering firm Taisei Corporation. With a height of 4 kilometers (2.5 miles), it would have dwarfed all other buildings in the world.
The A-shaped design resembles a modified Eiffel Tower. Apartments, offices, stores, and leisure facilities were planned here – a city within a city, so to speak. A truly unique project! Unfortunately, it was never realized. There are many reasons for this, but they all boil down to one thing: feasibility.
Despite the latest technologies, it is simply not possible to build that high. One problem is finding the right materials. The environmental impact of wind, rain, and earthquakes is very high in Japan. There are various methods for skyscrapers to counteract these influences, but the X-Seed 4000 would have been on a completely different level.
Even if it were possible to construct such a building to be wind- and earthquake-resistant, the cost would be a bottomless pit. The construction time would likely also ensure that the necessary financial resources would continue to increase.
In the end, it remained a concept to meet the growing demand for living space in Japan's capital. It is very likely that it will be technically possible to build such a building one day. Will the X-Seed 4000 be built then? We are curious!
Palace of the Soviets (Russia)
Another interesting example of architecture that was never realized is the Palace of the Soviets. Here, too, we mentally travel back to Russia. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, plans were drawn up for a monumental government palace in Moscow. After the successful revolution and the fall of the Tsar, communism was to be celebrated with one of the tallest buildings in the world.
With Stalin's seizure of power, work began on the demolition of old tsarist structures to make way for a "new Moscow". The Cathedral of Christ the Savior was one of the buildings that had to make way for Stalin's plans. It was demolished to make way for the Palace of the Soviets. However, this giant with a height of over 400 m (1,312 ft) never saw the light of day, at least not completely.
Although construction began in the 1930s, the Second World War quickly brought the project to a halt. The Second World War was followed by the Cold War, and there was not only a lack of money for such a mammoth project, but also a lack of building materials. Moreover, it would have been impossible for engineers to build the Palace of the Soviets as planned using the technologies of the time.
Since the project was driven by the government, and thus by politics, problems such as unsuitable soil and general feasibility were not given sufficient attention in the planning. Unfortunately, many buildings around the world share this fate.
The project was eventually abandoned, and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was later rebuilt in its place as part of the Kremlin ensemble. The Palace of the Soviets, however, joins a list of buildings that were never built. Today's seat of government in Moscow is the historic Kremlin Palace.
Cenotaph for Sir Isaac Newton (France)
This is also a monumental building that could never be built. Unlike the previous examples, this time it's not a politically motivated project. Étienne-Louis Boullée is well known to many people who are interested in architecture.
As a key figure in French revolutionary architecture, he's known for designing oversized buildings that are about as close to realism as the earth is to the sun. As the title of this project suggests, this is a tomb dedicated to the famous mathematician and scientist Isaac Newton.
In 1784, Boullée designed a circular, dome-shaped structure that was open at the top. This is highly reminiscent of the structure of other famous buildings, such as the Pantheon. For comparison: the dome of this ancient architectural wonder measures around 45 m (147.5 ft), while the cenotaph for Newton was to have a height of more than 150 m (492 ft) – absolutely utopian for the 18th century and simply not feasible.
According to Boullée's plans, a huge colonnade with a diameter of 3 km (1.86 miles), surrounded by high walls, was to be built around this temple building. Although this monumental structure was never built, it is still considered a milestone in architecture today. After all, it was probably the largest building designed in the neoclassical style at the time.
As is so often the case, there was a lack of sufficient financial resources, building materials and, above all, technology to make such a mammoth project possible. It looks very unlikely that the project will ever get off the ground. In the meantime, it has found a place in architectural history and it will probably stay there – as an inspiration for future generations in the archive of never-realized buildings.
Hitler's Germania (Germany)
We've already seen some monumental buildings, many of them politically motivated. However, the Germania project is far more impressive than any of them. The National Socialist regime was interested in more than just a single monumental government building. An entire city was planned—or rather, the transformation of Berlin into the monumental capital of the Third Reich.
Hider wanted Berlin to be radically redesigned with numerous monuments and even its own government district. The wide streets were laid out in an axial pattern, leading directly from the seat of government to new, impressive landmarks. In addition to an unparalleled triumphal arch, a completely oversized stadium, the People's Hall, and the Great Square were also planned as buildings. The thing they all had in common was that they were going to be the largest structures of their kind in the world.
The main goal, of course, was to show off power and greatness – a symbol of the superiority of the Nazi regime. After the decline of the nation as a consequence of the First World War, a new era of German history was about to begin. An era that—as we know today—fortunately soon became a thing of the past.
Parts of the project were started, but none of them was finished. With the outbreak of the Second World War, all works came to a standstill, and after the end of the war, the plans for Germania were discarded. Berlin was allowed to keep its historical cityscape.
Although Germania was never constructed, it is considered the best example of the role of architecture in totalitarian regimes. The close connection between political ideology and the creation of buildings almost caused a major city like Berlin to lose its cityscape that had grown over the centuries – and with it, much of its identity and history.
The Illinois (USA)
Many of you are already familiar with our next example of never-realized building projects. In the 1950s, architect Frank Lloyd Wright developed the concept of "Mile-High Illinois". His ambitious plan was to create the world's tallest building at a height of one mile (1.6 km), four times taller than the Empire State Building.
This skyscraper in Chicago would have outshone all other buildings. At the time, high-rise buildings were not nearly as advanced as they are today, so this project was definitely a pioneer in the construction of skyscrapers that went down in architectural history as a symbol of pushing boundaries.
The Illinois was never built, even though Wright was convinced it was possible. If we take a closer look at the designed structure, we realize that it would not be feasible even today. One of the reasons is the self-supporting steel structure.
There are often strong winds in Chicago, in particular, which may cause fluctuations that the building could not have withstood. Here, Wright relied on the stability of a tripod. However, the skyscraper would never have been usable without an additional measure, such as an absorber pendulum.
Also, there were plans for 76 elevators on 528 floors. As Wright planned the Illinois to be so slender, there would have been hardly any space for them, or for fire escapes. In keeping with the times, he came up with a plan for five-story nuclear-powered external elevators that would also work in the event of a fire—fortunately, this design never made it to completion.
Conclusion: Unrealized Structures
After looking at this list of interesting buildings, we'll wrap up with a summary: How come the designed building projects are never built or are just impossible to be created? It's clear that politicians often feel the need to get involved in the construction of important buildings.
As we mentioned in our last article about the Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea, politicians who decide on the planning and execution of construction projects often have ideas that are different and unrealistic. Especially in totalitarian regimes like the Third Reich, North Korea, or the Soviet Union, building monumental structures is a top priority: How do I prove to the world that I'm the greatest? Often, they don't think about the economic or social consequences. Ideals before reason is a classic concept that has caused many projects to fail.
But even beyond politics, a lot of buildings just can't be built. In most cases, it's the design of enthusiastic architects that makes it impossible to make the project a reality. Even though technology keeps getting better in construction, we still run into limits that we can't overcome.
The challenges faced by different generations in the construction industry are still there, but they're changing. Today, we can build taller and larger buildings all over the world. We have modern structural analysis software that makes our lives easier, saving time and manpower and reducing the risk of calculation errors. At the same time, we have a responsibility to our environment.
Climate change, economic crises, housing shortages, as well as new building materials, rediscovered construction methods, and innovative technologies are constantly giving rise to more challenges when we have only just mastered other challenges. Some buildings that were once thought to be impossible to build are now feasible. However, the motivation to build these often highly symbolic buildings, the financing of such a project, and the actual meaningfulness are generally no longer present.
So, we just need to focus on current projects—luckily, there are plenty of them. Let's use the architectural visions of previous generations as a springboard to push the limits of construction and then think beyond them.
Maybe it doesn't have to be another monument to the strength of a country, but a non-profit project that ties in with the essential aspect of every building around the world: the people who ultimately use the building. Let's learn from past designs and mistakes and create viable living spaces where people can truly feel comfortable. After all, that's what buildings are for.