• Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Ugliest Buildings in the UK

Status
Not open for further replies.

J-2739

Established Member
Joined
30 Jul 2016
Messages
2,238
Location
London
What is your ugliest building in the UK, in terms of the architecture?

For me, it would be the typical high street buildings in the town centers, with the typical Icelands and Carphone Warehouses occupying them. Very boring and devoid of character. At least Barnsley is redeveloping theirs a bit, although they had built massive shed of a marketplace!

As an aside, I think 20 Fenchurch Street actually looks pretty good, which is a pretty controversial opinion!

Pictures would be nice too.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

J-2739

Established Member
Joined
30 Jul 2016
Messages
2,238
Location
London
Yeah, I saw that on as well. That side of the Redrock is pretty ugly, but the other side looks decent. I'll post a picture if I can find one.
 

Esker-pades

Established Member
Joined
23 Jul 2015
Messages
3,784
Location
Beds, Bucks, or somewhere else
"smart new tree lined streets"

0__SED7020.jpg


I don't see much tree there.
 

J-2739

Established Member
Joined
30 Jul 2016
Messages
2,238
Location
London
There's a street like that in Wakefield as well, in the open air Trinity Walk.
Trinity_Walk%2C_Wakefield_%2810th_March_2013%29_003.JPG


No trees though!
 

J-2739

Established Member
Joined
30 Jul 2016
Messages
2,238
Location
London
These tower blocks in the centre of Wakefield are pretty drastic as well. Very soviet looking and not keeping in with the nearby architecture:

Greenwood_House%2C_George_Street%2C_Wakefield_%28geograph_5747558%29.jpg
 

61653 HTAFC

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Dec 2012
Messages
19,356
Location
Yorkshire
These tower blocks in the centre of Wakefield are pretty drastic as well. Very soviet looking and not keeping in with the nearby architecture:

Greenwood_House%2C_George_Street%2C_Wakefield_%28geograph_5747558%29.jpg
The ones built above the Kirkgate end of the Ridings centre are worse.

In Huddersfield, there are quite a few striking and attractive new buildings as part of the university campus... unfortunately one of the most prominent ones (right opposite the canal basin) is not pretty at all:
Screenshot_20190105-201305_Maps.jpg
 

J-2739

Established Member
Joined
30 Jul 2016
Messages
2,238
Location
London
The ones built above the Kirkgate end of the Ridings centre are worse.

In Huddersfield, there are quite a few striking and attractive new buildings as part of the university campus... unfortunately one of the most prominent ones (right opposite the canal basin) is not pretty at all:
View attachment 57600

I like the brickwork, but yes, a very boring looking campus.

Contrasts with the very interesting looking Huddersfield, with all its mills and the world class railway station. In fact, I think mill towns have some of the most interesting architecture all round. Contrasts with the rather dull looking Sheffield, which has pockets of attractiveness (like Park Hill Flats and the City Hall) but is very boring otherwise
 

Typhoon

Established Member
Joined
2 Nov 2017
Messages
3,540
Location
Kent
20 Fenchurch Street, London aka 'The Walkie Talkie'. Its (currently) the worst of several rubbish buildings in the City/ Canary Wharf area, but it is the only one that tried to exterminate parked cars and passing pedestrians.

Why must a building try to look like something else?
 

Esker-pades

Established Member
Joined
23 Jul 2015
Messages
3,784
Location
Beds, Bucks, or somewhere else
The Lewisham Gateway developments came close to the Carbuncle Cup this year. As someone who has been to Lewisham since I was born, the whole area has changed dramatically. It can feel very claustrophobic when approaching from any angle because of the huge number of high rises. New houses are needed though.
 

J-2739

Established Member
Joined
30 Jul 2016
Messages
2,238
Location
London
20 Fenchurch Street, London aka 'The Walkie Talkie'. Its (currently) the worst of several rubbish buildings in the City/ Canary Wharf area, but it is the only one that tried to exterminate parked cars and passing pedestrians.

Why must a building try to look like something else?

It's not so terrible imo! I think there is much worse on the Carbuncle Award.
 

Typhoon

Established Member
Joined
2 Nov 2017
Messages
3,540
Location
Kent
The Lewisham Gateway developments came close to the Carbuncle Cup this year. As someone who has been to Lewisham since I was born, the whole area has changed dramatically. It can feel very claustrophobic when approaching from any angle because of the huge number of high rises. New houses are needed though.
I've every sympathy. I used to go there sometimes when I was a kid. Lewisham had character - not now!
 

sprunt

Established Member
Joined
22 Jul 2017
Messages
1,642
I find this block near Old Street station in London to be particularly unpleasant. It's not as apparent from Streetview as it is in reality, but the design features lots of diagonals (including the windows) and it really is very uncomfortable to look at, a bit dizzying. If anyone's familiar with the horrible diagonal staircase from the south-east side of London Bridge to the Thames Path, it's kind of like that in building form.

Regarding the Walkie-talkie building, I do like it as a design (I generally like skyscrapers), but I think it's badly out of keeping with its surroundings.
 

telstarbox

Established Member
Joined
23 Jul 2010
Messages
6,380
Location
Wennington Crossovers
The Lewisham Gateway developments came close to the Carbuncle Cup this year. As someone who has been to Lewisham since I was born, the whole area has changed dramatically. It can feel very claustrophobic when approaching from any angle because of the huge number of high rises. New houses are needed though.

I thought that nomination was a bit unfair and mainly cited the new road layout which isn't really architecture. The blocks are nothing special (essentially "New London Vernacular") but there are much worse examples of new resi in London e.g. Pan Peninsula or the Unite scheme in the Olympic Park.
 

Peter Mugridge

Veteran Member
Joined
8 Apr 2010
Messages
17,849
Location
Epsom
I hereby nominate Hudson House in Epsom.

Image shows a Google Streetview look at the building, which is a large bland block of flats which local residents have likened to a comminist era Soviet prison.

upload_2019-1-5_23-33-42.png
 

61653 HTAFC

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Dec 2012
Messages
19,356
Location
Yorkshire
I'll nominate this hideous thing which I pass on my way to the station most days. Apparently it's a nightclub but I've never been inside. It's just a box in plain white which despite the name isn't Central to anything.

Not that anything along there is particularly pretty of course.
Screenshot_20190106-055000_Maps.jpg
 

Meerkat

Established Member
Joined
14 Jul 2018
Messages
9,276
I don’t understand the hatred for the walkie talkie. I really like it - it’s novel, distinctive, and a non-harsh curvy shape.
For it to be in keeping with its surroundings it would be another harsh square dull office block
 

DarloRich

Veteran Member
Joined
12 Oct 2010
Messages
32,939
Location
Fenny Stratford
This is all going to be very subjective! What question is being asked? Is it the most horrible looking building or is it the building completely out of place or is it the building with an incorrect the architectural/construction design or style or is it does the building not work as designed? personally i am not to worried about design but more about how the building fits in with its surroundings. An example being in York where the Norwich Union Building and the Park Inn are simply hideous. Poor design and completely out of place. Another is Barnstaple town hall/ civic centre. Awful. I quite like the brutalist style that many detest. I make no comment on how the buildings work for residents but the use of material and shape is quite interesting although many buildings of this style are horribly out of context with their neighbours. One example is Darlington Town Hall.

The most recent style clash I have seen is the Liverpool Mersey Ferry terminal and city museum on the waterfront. Nothing wrong with the buildings but completely out of context. Blocks the view of the three graces.

I would recommend reading the "Nooks & Corners" architecture criticism column in Private Eye. Piloti never held back in his attacks on shoddy design. This has carried on after his death.

The Carbuncle Cup is worth looking at.

Yes very good but I do find them a little po faced and backward looking at times with a distinct dislike of modern styles. Some of the winners are perfectly good buildings


The ones built above the Kirkgate end of the Ridings centre are worse.

In Huddersfield, there are quite a few striking and attractive new buildings as part of the university campus... unfortunately one of the most prominent ones (right opposite the canal basin) is not pretty at all:
View attachment 57600

These tower blocks in the centre of Wakefield are pretty drastic as well. Very soviet looking and not keeping in with the nearby architecture:

has the OP only recently arrived in the north of England? Those look like standard 60's flats and in decent external nick. ;)

That side of the Redrock is pretty ugly

that is a shocking bit of cladding design and use! However, is the building architecturally flawed? PS - what about Stockport Pyramid?

I don't see much tree there.

I am not sure if you are aware of trees but they tend to start quite small and over several years, you know, grow ;)

There's a street like that in Wakefield as well, in the open air Trinity Walk.

What is wrong with that? It isn't very imaginative but there is nothing wrong with the design. It isn't hideous just boring.

I hereby nominate Hudson House in Epsom.

again boring & unimaginative but not hideous. That is standard first part of 21st century mixed use design. I suspect part of it( protruding oblongs and the roof line) was designed that way to reflect similar local designs

I'll nominate this hideous thing which I pass on my way to the station most days. Apparently it's a nightclub but I've never been inside. It's just a box in plain white which despite the name isn't Central to anything.

But that is obviously a converted building. It wasn't designed as a nightclub surely. It looks like a sub station!
 

cjmillsnun

Established Member
Joined
13 Feb 2011
Messages
3,275
I'm surprised no-one else has brought this one up. Cumbernauld Town Centre. Picture from Wikipedia
Cumbernauld_Town_Centre_-_geograph.org.uk_-_207206.jpg
 

Old Yard Dog

Established Member
Joined
21 Aug 2011
Messages
1,823
The Hilton Hotel in Manchester. It looks top heavy and I hate it.

images
 

Attachments

  • upload_2019-1-6_14-11-20.jpeg
    upload_2019-1-6_14-11-20.jpeg
    7 KB · Views: 21

lxfe_mxtterz

Member
Joined
3 Mar 2018
Messages
1,072
Location
Sarahdale (West of Emmerdale)
The Heygate Estate in South London has never been the most visually appealing of buildings. The materials used and the boxy shape of it make it seem somewhat unprepossessing, not to mention the abundance of graffiti and vandalism which adds to the hideous sight.

Although, I do believe the whole thing was demolished quite a few years back.

C8962B07-5415-4548-B9D6-FF02B9E8FDA4.jpeg

(Picture from Google!)
 

J-2739

Established Member
Joined
30 Jul 2016
Messages
2,238
Location
London
The Heygate Estate in South London has never been the most visually appealing of buildings. The materials used and the boxy shape of it make it seem somewhat unprepossessing, not to mention the abundance of graffiti and vandalism which adds to the hideous sight.

Although, I do believe the whole thing was demolished quite a few years back.

View attachment 57616

(Picture from Google!)

I generally like Brutalist architecture, but God, what a monster that is.
 

cjmillsnun

Established Member
Joined
13 Feb 2011
Messages
3,275
I'd love to have seen it when it was new. I imagine it was rather fresh and exciting.

I'm sure it was, but unfortunately like a number of these buildings, it has been neglected. In the case of Cumbernauld, bits have been pulled down, certain phases never built. It's a mish mash now.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top