Construction Fails

The programme showcases some of the world’s costliest yet impractical airports, examines hotels that have collapsed, and explains why a Shanghai apartment block fell like a slab. It offers a brief look at these costly and disastrous structures.

Columbia's Fatal Flaw is an episode‑style programme that takes a critical look at some of the world’s most extravagant yet impractical infrastructure projects. It presents a concise yet informative tour, aimed at exposing the costly missteps behind a range of high‑profile constructions. The episode guides viewers through a selection of the planet’s priciest airports that, despite their hefty price tags, serve little practical purpose. It then shifts focus to a series of hotels that have literally collapsed, illustrating how even massive, seemingly secure structures can fail. The final segment explains the dramatic failure of a Shanghai apartment tower, which fell flat like a slab, shedding light on the underlying reasons for its sudden collapse. Beyond the core examples, the programme highlights a recurring theme: the stark contrast between lavish spending and functional viability. By juxtaposing opulent airport terminals with disastrous building failures, it underscores how excessive ambition and poor planning can lead to spectacular waste. The narrative remains tightly centred on the specific cases mentioned, offering a clear picture of why these grand projects turned out to be both expensive and ultimately useless.