World's ugliest buildings named; Boston City Hall is top

by Rachel Nixon | November 14, 2008 at 05:10 pm

3945 views | 26 Recommendations | 24 comments

A poll of editors and readers on travel website VirtualTourist.com has identified the world's 10 ugliest buildings.

"Some of these picks have all the charm of a bag of nails while others are just jaw-dropping in their complexity. Love them or hate them, the list is certainly entertaining," said General manager Giampiero Ambrosi.

Having the dubious distinction of coming top of the list is Boston City Hall in the US state of Massachusetts.

The California site offered a sharp-tongued assessment of the Hub’s center of power.

“While it was hip for it’s time, this concrete structure now gets routinely criticized for its dreary facade and incongruity with the rest of the city’s more genteel architecture. Luckily, it’s very close to more aesthetically pleasing attractions.”

Mayor Thomas M. Menino has sought for years to move City Hall, most recently pitching a move to the seaport, where it could anchor the growing district.

Other entries on the list span North America and parts of Europe, including the imposing Montparnasse Tower in Paris and the statue of Peter the Great in Moscow. Here are entries two to 10.

2. Montparnasse Tower; Paris, France

While it's almost universally agreed that this ominous stick is a blight on the landscape of the world's most stunning city, its detractors admit that there is one very good reason to take in the view from the building's observation deck: it's the only place you can go to get a view of the city without it.

3. LuckyShoe Monument; Tuuri, Finland

It may be over-the-top, but there is something to be said for the giant, golden horseshoe that looms over Finland's second-largest shopping center. The shoe, and, in fact, the entire town in which it is situated, is said to bring good luck.

4. Metropolitan Cathedral; Liverpool, England

The people who work here must be sick of the space capsule jokes. Even those who find the building's shell a bit "spacey," have to admit the circular interior is pretty spectacular.

5. Port Authority Bus Terminal; New York City, New York

Those who pass by this iron monstrosity might be tempted to ask about a completion date, but alas, this is the finished product.

6. Torres de Colon; Madrid, Spain

Like a set of giant salt-and-pepper shakers, these matching towers loom over the city to the dissatisfaction of many area residents. The buildings are also known as "El Enchufe" or "The Plug" for the plug-like structure that holds them together.

7. Liechtenstein Museum of Fine Arts; Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Some feel the building's minimalist box design is a triumph, others say it's an eyesore.

8. Scottish Parliament Building; Edinburgh, Scotland

Stone, oak, and bamboo are part of the make-up of the Scottish Parliament, a building that is the subject of much debate.

9. Birmingham Central Library; Birmingham, England

One look and it's easy to see how this genre of architecture came to be known as the "Brutalist" style. Not surprisingly, the issue of its possible demolition has been looming for years.

10. Peter the Great Statue; Moscow, Russia

Some 15 stories high, the larger-than-life monument was designed by controversial artist, Zurab K. Tsereteli, whose statue of Christopher Columbus was repeatedly rejected by the United States.

Do you think the travel site got it right? Are there uglier buildings out there that should be named and shamed?

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Spaceduck

at 19:03 on November 14th, 2008

This gives a good idea of the ugliness of Boston's City Hall and why the architectural style is called "brutalism"

Spaceduck has contributed a photo to this story.

Amy Judd

at 19:06 on November 14th, 2008

The Metropolitian Cathedral in Liverpool definitely deserves a mention, however I've always felt that Experience Music Project in Seattle is sooooo ugly!

Rachel Nixon

at 10:22 on November 15th, 2008

I'd never seen the Experience Music Project before but at first glance I have to agree with you.

Paschen

at 20:29 on November 14th, 2008

Well, is it not all a matter of taste in the end?

As far as I am concerned building should be environmental friendly, green and energy self sufficient regardless what they may look like. then again, I do appreciate great architecture as well and this one is certainly not one of my favourites.

kthypryn

at 04:35 on November 15th, 2008

Frankly when I first saw the building and photographed it, I thought it was a prison in downtown Boston. ( Maybe it is a statement as how the governed view their elected officials. ) There is also a fence around it that looks more like a bicycle rack -- why not barb wire? Trully it is a sad fact that now so many government buildings need barricades and fences around them to protect the workers from nuts. Perhaps the next wave of government buildings will have moates and drawbridges ...

oneterry

at 23:33 on November 14th, 2008

while a native of Liverpool a scouser in native terms feel very annoyed that a building close to our hearts should be in any list of so called ugly buildings. i think maybe the people who conjure up these lists have not even visited these buildings, just like people whats on the inside really counts

donald.judge

at 23:41 on November 14th, 2008

It was only after agreeing to post my photo here that I discovered it was in connection with an item about the world's ugliest buildings! I can't quite see why anyone would describe this as ugly, let alone 4th ugliest in the world! Certainly I like it a lot more than the other cathedral at the end of the road! It could probably win a prize for 4th worst accoustics - I attended a concert there which was almost unintelligible! But the building itself is striking, and very much of its time - the late 60s. I'm surprised that Ceaucescu's Palace in Bucharest, Romania and the NDK in Sofia, Bulgaria aren't on this list...

Maybe someone could start a thread on the world's most beautiful modern buildings... I can only comment on those I've actually seen. In NW England, the list would include this one and the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. Elsewhere, the Gherkin in London, Hallsgrim Church in Reykjavik, the Arctic Cathedral in Tromso, Norway, Prague's Dancing House...

donald.judge has contributed a photo to this story.

robert.ednie

at 00:33 on November 15th, 2008

This was taken in 1989, I was laying on by back of a very busy Paris Street, with tourist walking past in all directions.

robert.ednie has contributed a photo to this story.

This-is-rice

at 01:35 on November 15th, 2008

This is either an ugly building, or its just a building full of character. Too often today, especially in my home city of Birmingham all new buildings tend to look the same and not all that creative, just plain, boring rubbish and usually with a supermarket at the ground floor (but thats a different matter altogether)
Im a fan of these buildings that stand out, they might not be the prettiest BUT they do say something, they stand out in an age of accepted mediocracy. To me this building is the Black flag in a sea of Debbie Gibsons. Or the Bill Hicks in a crowd of Adam Sandlers. We need more of them.

This-is-rice has contributed a photo to this story.

abrinsky

at 02:33 on November 15th, 2008

Do agree with the comment of This-is-rice above as the Birmingham Central Library may not be a traditionally attractive building it does make a strong statement of being different and reflecting the techniques and outlook of its time. Today some may find it discordant with some of the Victorian buildings surrounding it but with its strong symmetry to include it on a list of the World's ugliest buildings is positively puzzling and makes me question the inclusion of any of the buildings here.

abrinsky has contributed a photo to this story.

AlejaNdro ct

at 02:43 on November 15th, 2008

Montparnasse Tower.

AlejaNdro ct has contributed a photo to this story.

studio depadova - nadine paduart

at 02:51 on November 15th, 2008

In one another’s proximity in Liverpool, further along one and the same road almost, are situated the Metropolitan Church of Christ the King (picture) and the monumental Anglican Cathedral (not pictured). Why ever they are situated in one city as such, and then so close to one another, God only can comprehend.
Much to my own surprise I do not find the Metropolitan monstrous. Imposing, yes. Bombastic, absolutely. Deriving from its history a rather unnecessary, and very costly manufacture too.
Notwithstanding my non believing backgrounds, I cannot deny the dare and courage that most surely must have entailed the building of this gigantic, ‘astrological’ curiosity.

studio depadova - nadine paduart has contributed a photo to this story.

Olivier GARMOND

at 05:26 on November 15th, 2008

picture taken by olivier garmond (c) http://Olivier.Garmond.fr

Olivier GARMOND has contributed a photo to this story.

Jennings David L

at 05:33 on November 15th, 2008

Good report. The statue of Peter the Great, #10, was a good choice to be on this list, it is a bit over the top. Makes you wonder what people were thinking.

reno_fog

at 08:05 on November 15th, 2008

Beauty is where you find it.... I guess you can't find it at these places... great report

etm

at 08:55 on November 15th, 2008

The only decent part of architecture left from the old brewery is now the libaray building of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

myspace.com.eclectictherapy

dave jensen photography Edinburgh has contributed a photo to this story.

rk_pix

at 09:37 on November 15th, 2008

What really makes this building truly ugly is the price tag -- £414m. That's UGLY!

rk_pix has contributed a photo to this story.

paulbart

at 12:47 on November 15th, 2008

Montparnasse Tower (Paris, France)

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AlvarezGalloso

at 07:26 on November 16th, 2008

Thanks for your articles.

TF-Lain402

at 07:44 on November 16th, 2008

The Tour Montparnasse in Paris.
I was trying to catch the perspective of the walls. Eventually it looks like a big mirror reflecting the clouds and sky.

------------------------------------------

La tour Montparnasse à Paris.

Capturer la perspective était ma première intention.
En "développant" sur mon PC je me suis rendu compte que le verre reflétait plutôt bien le ciel et les nuages...un peu comme un énorme miroir. Un classique que je retente assez souvent.

TF-Lain402 has contributed a photo to this story.

mkk

at 11:44 on November 25th, 2008

It was a grey day, Tuuri shopping center is rather weird place and of course, the horse shoe is ugly, too. The man in the front was selling dust bags for vacuum cleaners.

mkk has contributed a photo to this story.

rumana husain

at 20:54 on December 10th, 2008

rachel, this is a very interesting post. thanks.

rumana husain

at 20:57 on December 10th, 2008

you might find this relevant. please check it out:

http://my.nowpublic.com/style/gehry-jell-o-manhattan

Kalevi (not verified)

at 21:05 on January 7th, 2009

When I look at Brutalist monstrosities like Boston City Hall, I think yeah, I've seen all there is to see in the way of hideous modern architecture. But then I come to think of examples closer to home. On the top of my Ugly Modern Churches in Finland list is this apocalyptic monstrosity in the city of Vaasa: http://bulbasaur.tontut.fi/echramath/misc/kirkko/