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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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.
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