Fake buildings
Buildings that use urban camouflage, sometimes known as transformer housings in specific situations and commonly labeled as "fake buildings" and "fake façades" by the public, are structures or purposeful follies designed to disguise electronic transformers and other types of properties that are aesthetically unpleasing in an urban environment. These buildings are commonly found in residential towns and cities, where they blend in with the surrounding architecture and hide the presence of hidden equipment. History 

The popularization of urban camouflage dates back to the early 1900s when substations were first introduced in Toronto, Canada. During this period, electronic converters were housed within grandiose abodes rather than being unenclosed or disguised. After the tribulation of World War II, suburbia began to flourish internationally. Due to this eminent boom in society, the electricity demand expanded exponentially, and architects were called to find openings for wanted substations. During this, Harold Alphonso Bodwell, a utility employee appointed to the situation as the lead designer, introduced the idea of disemboweling unused housing for these substations to the directors. One of the earliest known examples of urban camouflage is from 1907 when 58 Joralemon Street in New York was acquired by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company and gutted for the use of ventilating underground transportation. Usage and placement 
Although urban camouflage is typically used to cloak residential substations, there is a multitude of applications for the designation. In Los Angeles, California, many of these structures conceal oil rigs. Other assignments include cell phone towers, bunkers (sometimes nuclear), pump stations, and subway ventilation shafts. Ultimately, these mirages are not inherently installed to prevent vandalism or burglary but rather for the ambiance of its area. Urban camouflage not only maintains property value due to its ambiguous appearance, but it also upkeeps the location's layout. These façades can be discovered internationally from the United States' New York City, New York and Los Angeles, California to Paris, France and London, United Kingdom. Known locations 

The following is a list of known locations that use urban camouflage. For ventilation 
 145 rue La Fayette. 10th arrondissement of Paris. Affiliated buildings of Holland Tunnel. New York City, New York, United States. 58 Joralemon Street for rapid transit. Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York, United States. 23/24 Leinster Gardens for rapid transit. London, England, United Kingdom. For power conversion 
 Strecker Memorial Laboratory. Southpoint Park, Roosevelt Island, New York City, United States. 51 W Ontario Street. Chicago, Illinois, United States. 640 Millwood Road. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 29 Nelson Street. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Design 

Most examples of urban camouflage are similar to the design of their surrounding buildings, but this is not always the case. Some instances, however, are less convincing due to design flaws caused by the contained equipment or other difficulties. These flaws include blacked-out windows; the lack of a roof, doorway, window panes, or some enclosed walls; gated extrusions; warning signs; and some 3D components printed on rather than replicated with actual materials. References 

20th-century architecture
Architectural terminology
Urban planning