I’m often struck by buildings with safety measures that have clearly been added on later, e.g., railings, fences, etc. Like this view from a proposed observation deck on the Chrysler building: https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19989364/Screen_Shot_2020_05_20_at_11.07.25_AM.png (from https://ny.curbed.com/2020/5/20/21264740/chrysler-building-new-observation-deck)
Even the original railing itself looks like it was an afterthought. Why would the original designer think that a knee-height wall was a sufficient safety measure for a terrace?
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1. A lot of things are only obvious in hindsight.
2. A building’s, and the various spaces within and on the building, features and function change over time. For example, the observation deck may have only been originally intended for maintenance work.
3. People will always find a way to use things in a way never fathomed by the designers.
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