Sometimes it’s hard to figure out if builders were thinking logically when looking at buildings from the past. Otherwise why would some apartments end up having garbage chutes right inside the apartment or why would there be diagonal windows that don’t make any sense at first glance? Sometimes there’s an actual good idea behind each strange architectural and household decision and some of these strange things even turn out to be useful.
1. “Microwave oven” from the beginning of the 20th century, Europe
Dual-use radiators were popular in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. These radiators allowed people to heat food and dry shoes. Today, these ’boxes’ can hardly be found anywhere because they have been phased out by more modern technology. Present-day houses are heated with electricity as the former option to heat with hot water and steam became very energy-consuming.