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This article was first published 11 years ago

10 ugliest buildings in the world

Last updated on: August 27, 2013 14:56 IST

Image: A privately built villa, surrounded by imitation rocks, is pictured on the rooftop of a 26-storey residential block in Beijing.
Photographs: Jason Lee/Reuters

A privately built villa, surrounded by imitation rocks on the rooftop of a 26-storey residential block in Beijing, caused a furore. Residents of the building complained about the villa, fearing its weight may cause structural collapse.

The owner had spent more than six years to build the villa that covers 1,000 square meters (10,764 square feet). But he had to demolish the ‘illegal’ structure after government warned of strict action.

The ‘illegal’ structure was not only a ‘threat’ to the building’s stability, it also destroyed the aesthetics of the average-looking skyscraper.

Let’s look at 10 more buildings that are termed as ‘ugly’ by members of the travel website Trippy.

Source: Reuters

Click NEXT to see the 10 ugliest buildings in the world…

10 ugliest buildings in the world


Photographs: Aurelien Guichard/Wikimedia Commons

Royal National Theatre

Rank: 10

City: London

Country: UK

It is one of UK’s most prominent theatres. The building is designed by architects Sir Denys Lasdun and Peter Softley and structural engineers Flint & Neill and contains three stages, which opened individually between 1976 and 1977, according to Wikipedia.

10 ugliest buildings in the world


Photographs: Courtesy, Grocon

The Pixel Building

Rank: 9

City: Melbourne

Country: Australia

The Pixel Building is touted as the greenest commercial office building in Australia. According to the company website, Pixel is designed to be carbon neutral. It has a water balance system that can keep it self sufficient for water even if the supply is disconnected.

The colourful panels surrounding the façade are made of recycled material and are used to provide maximised daylight, shade, views and glare control.

10 ugliest buildings in the world


Photographs: Urban/Wikimedia Commons

Trump Tower

Rank: 8

City: New York City

Country: US

Trump Tower is a 58-story mixed-use skyscraper developed and owned by Donald Trump.

When it had opened up in 80s, it was a quite a landmark. However, it’s dull on the outside and is generally visited by tourists - locals avoid it completely.

10 ugliest buildings in the world


Photographs: Courtesy, Madrona Ridge Residential LLC

Epi Apartments

Rank: 7

City: Seattle

Country: US

If you are trying to guess the purpose of the metal shapes on the side of this building; it is for aesthetic purpose. And it’s up to you to decide how the structure enhances the appeal of the building.

Tags: Seattle , US

10 ugliest buildings in the world


Photographs: Jarcje/Wikimedia Commons

Chang Building

Rank: 6

City: Bangkok

Country: Thailand

It is also called as The Elephant Tower because the design represents an elephant. Chang is a mixed use structure that has offices, residential apartments and suites, shopping plaza, bank and post office.

10 ugliest buildings in the world


Photographs: Ben Lunsford/Wikimedia Commons

Geisel Library, University of California

Rank: 5

City: San Diego

Country: US

The Geisel Library is the main library building on the University of California, San Diego campus.

The building is featured in the university's logo and is is a prime example of brutalist architecture.

10 ugliest buildings in the world


Photographs: Courtesy, Makoto Sei Watanabe Architectural Office

Aoyama Technical College

Rank: 4

City: Shibuya, Tokyo

Country: Japan

Designed by Watanabe Sei, the Aoyama Technical College building is an example of post-modern Japanese architecture. The building features sharp angles, red and silver colour contrasts and shapes that make it look like a metallic insect.

The architect was awarded first prize at the International Design Competition in Japan in 1988 for this building.

10 ugliest buildings in the world


Photographs: Courtesy, Ontario College of Art and Design

Sharp Centre for Design

Rank: 3

City: Toronto

Country: Canada

The building is part of Ontario College of Art and Design, Canada’s largest and oldest educational institution for art and design.

Although some call the building design innovative, there are others who call it intolerable.

The building is designed by acclaimed British Architect Will Alsop, of Alsop Architects, in a joint venture with Toronto-based Robbie/Young + Wright Architects Inc.

10 ugliest buildings in the world


Photographs: Rona Proudfoot/Wikimedia Commons

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

Rank: 2

City: Cleveland

Country: US

The museum is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way, influenced the music industry through the genre of rock music, according to Wikipedia.

According to Reuters, the architect if the building I. M. Pei was unhappy with the structure on it completion and admitted that there’s little harmony in the building’s conflicting shapes.

10 ugliest buildings in the world


Photographs: Aude/Wikimedia Commons

J. Edgar Hoover Building (FBI HQ)

Rank: 1

City: Washington, D.C.

Country: US

The FBI headquarter has a numerous amenities, and a special, secure system of elevators and corridors to keep public tours separate from the rest of the building. The building has three floors below-ground, and an underground parking garage, according to Wikipedia.

Most people hate the building on aesthetic and urban planning grounds.

J. Edgar Hoover Building is nearing the end of its useful lifespan. It is suffering from deterioration due to deferred maintenance and mediocre design.

10 ugliest buildings in the world

Image: A view of Antilia, the house of Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries.
Photographs: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Antilia

Rank: NA

City: Mumbai

Country: India

Because of readers’ demand, we are including Mukesh Ambani’s new house Antilia in the list of the ugliest building in the world.

Designed by Chicago based architects, Perkins & Will, Antilia is built at a cost of about $2 billion (according to Forbes).

Ratan Tata described Antilia as an example of rich Indians' lack of empathy for the poor.

Do read Rediff’s readers’ comments below on what they have to say about Antilia and share your views.