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World’s Ugliest Buildings

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Sometimes even world-renowned architects design buildings which can hardly be described as the most pleasing to the eye. They may be original, high-tech and built to the highest standards, but from an architectural point of view, alas, they fail to make the grade. A photo gallery of the most unattractive contemporary buildings has been put together by RIA Novosti Realty.

Sometimes even world-renowned architects design buildings which can hardly be described as the most pleasing to the eye. They may be original, high-tech and built to the highest standards, but from an architectural point of view, alas, they fail to make the grade. A photo gallery of the most unattractive contemporary buildings has been put together by RIA Novosti Realty.

© Flickr / Dave CatchpoleIn the United Kingdom Building Design magazine has since 2006 been awarding the Carbuncle Cup annual prize to the ugliest building built in the country over the past 12 months. In 2010, the dubious honor of winning this competition went to the Strata Tower in south London.
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In the United Kingdom Building Design magazine has since 2006 been awarding the Carbuncle Cup annual prize to the ugliest building built in the country over the past 12 months. In 2010, the dubious honor of winning this competition went to the Strata Tower in south London.
© Flickr / EEPaulHowever, the Strata Tower is dwarfed by London’s tallest structure, which only recently opened on July 5. The Shard skyscraper is 310 meters tall, making it the tallest building not only in the United Kingdom but in the whole of Europe.
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However, the Strata Tower is dwarfed by London’s tallest structure, which only recently opened on July 5. The Shard skyscraper is 310 meters tall, making it the tallest building not only in the United Kingdom but in the whole of Europe.
© Flickr / Joseph A Ferris IIIThe Hotel Rügen in Pyongyang regularly features in the rankings of the most horrific buildings compiled by various publications and organizations. The hotel is an absolute giant – the height of the 105-storey structure is 300 meters, making it the tallest skyscraper in North Korea.
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The Hotel Rügen in Pyongyang regularly features in the rankings of the most horrific buildings compiled by various publications and organizations. The hotel is an absolute giant – the height of the 105-storey structure is 300 meters, making it the tallest skyscraper in North Korea.
© Flickr / NightFall404 Another building that has failed to find huge public acclaim is the Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, designed by famous U.S. architect Frank Gehry. Gehry himself has said that the building symbolizes music, but not everyone agrees with this lofty comparison, often associating it more closely with something that’s just crawled out of the sea.
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Another building that has failed to find huge public acclaim is the Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, designed by famous U.S. architect Frank Gehry. Gehry himself has said that the building symbolizes music, but not everyone agrees with this lofty comparison, often associating it more closely with something that’s just crawled out of the sea.
© Flickr / By bjoern.f | Björn Freiberg FotografieThe thinking of the architect responsible for the Žižkov Television Tower in Prague is a mystery to many. Built between 1985 and 1992, it cuts an odd figure among Prague’s medieval panorama, soaring 206 meters into the sky, high above the famous red-tiled roofs of the Czech capital city, reminiscent of a rocket being readied for take-off. To make matters worse it is decorated with black figures of children crawling and climbing up the tower, which in many people’s eyes is strange to say the least.
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The thinking of the architect responsible for the Žižkov Television Tower in Prague is a mystery to many. Built between 1985 and 1992, it cuts an odd figure among Prague’s medieval panorama, soaring 206 meters into the sky, high above the famous red-tiled roofs of the Czech capital city, reminiscent of a rocket being readied for take-off. To make matters worse it is decorated with black figures of children crawling and climbing up the tower, which in many people’s eyes is strange to say the least.
© Flickr / msdeegan Visitors to the 2012 London Olympics will doubtless see the ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture, which even before it opened had made it onto the list of the ugliest buildings in the world. This oddly-shaped “ball” is located in the heart of the Olympic Park next to the Olympic Stadium. At the top of the 115-meter structure is a viewing platform.
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Visitors to the 2012 London Olympics will doubtless see the ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture, which even before it opened had made it onto the list of the ugliest buildings in the world. This oddly-shaped “ball” is located in the heart of the Olympic Park next to the Olympic Stadium. At the top of the 115-meter structure is a viewing platform.
© Flickr / wyzik Even Paris, the city of love, which stakes a claim to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world, still has its “oddballs” – Parisians and visitors to the French capital are united in their fierce hatred of the Montparnasse Tower. The plain, ponderous building stands 210 meters tall. It is the only skyscraper located inside the city boundaries. The tower looks completely alien set amongst the beautiful panorama of the historic city center.
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Even Paris, the city of love, which stakes a claim to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world, still has its “oddballs” – Parisians and visitors to the French capital are united in their fierce hatred of the Montparnasse Tower. The plain, ponderous building stands 210 meters tall. It is the only skyscraper located inside the city boundaries. The tower looks completely alien set amongst the beautiful panorama of the historic city center.
© Flickr / norsez (Photosophia for iOS is released!) One of Bangkok’s most famous, unusual and, in many people’s opinion, unattractive buildings was built in 1997. It embodies Thailand’s national symbol, the elephant. Admittedly, on a quite primitive level. The 32-story building is 102 meters high. It contains apartments, and commercial and office premises.
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One of Bangkok’s most famous, unusual and, in many people’s opinion, unattractive buildings was built in 1997. It embodies Thailand’s national symbol, the elephant. Admittedly, on a quite primitive level. The 32-story building is 102 meters high. It contains apartments, and commercial and office premises.
© Flickr / ellenm1 The architect who created the Longaberger headquarters building in the United States did a fantastic job in capturing the company image. Although not to everyone’s taste. Some people consider the Longaberger headquarters building beautiful, while to others it is simply ridiculous. The building is shaped like a basket, which is apt as the company is one of the United States’ leading manufacturers of these products.
Штаб-квартира компании Longaberger в США - Sputnik International
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The architect who created the Longaberger headquarters building in the United States did a fantastic job in capturing the company image. Although not to everyone’s taste. Some people consider the Longaberger headquarters building beautiful, while to others it is simply ridiculous. The building is shaped like a basket, which is apt as the company is one of the United States’ leading manufacturers of these products.
© Sputnik / Said Tsarnaev / Go to the mediabankMeanwhile, there are some in the architectural community who believe that a building cannot be hopelessly ugly. Ugliness is simply another form of beauty, thinks architect Andrei Asadov. At the same time he is convinced that contemporary architecture in its modernist form has not been terribly successful on the whole in terms of its humanity, being devoid of a spiritual component and at best a cold “machine for living and working in.”
World’s Ugliest Buildings - Sputnik International
10/11
Meanwhile, there are some in the architectural community who believe that a building cannot be hopelessly ugly. Ugliness is simply another form of beauty, thinks architect Andrei Asadov. At the same time he is convinced that contemporary architecture in its modernist form has not been terribly successful on the whole in terms of its humanity, being devoid of a spiritual component and at best a cold “machine for living and working in.”
© Flickr / University of SalfordIt comes as no surprise that the 2011 U.K. Carbuncle Cup “anti-prize,” mentioned earlier, went not to an individual building but to a complex of buildings – MediaCityUK in Salford on the outskirts of Manchester. This project consists of office buildings, residential buildings and hotels built on an area of over 80 hectares on the banks of a canal. It is thought that the majority of the offices are taken up by the headquarters of various media organizations.
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It comes as no surprise that the 2011 U.K. Carbuncle Cup “anti-prize,” mentioned earlier, went not to an individual building but to a complex of buildings – MediaCityUK in Salford on the outskirts of Manchester. This project consists of office buildings, residential buildings and hotels built on an area of over 80 hectares on the banks of a canal. It is thought that the majority of the offices are taken up by the headquarters of various media organizations.
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