16 ugly buildings that I actually love
16 ugly buildings that I actually love
I spoke of my part -time love for architecture earlier. I admire Gothic and Art Nouveau, but secretly I've always loved brutalism.
I say "secretly" because brutalist buildings are ugly - seriously ugly - but there is also a dark and urgent beauty in the middle of ugliness. Here are my favorite buildings of brutalism (sometimes also known as ugly buildings) from all over the world.
In general, I plucked pictures from Wikipedia instead of using artistic, filtered shots from unconventional angles so that I can show the real horror of these structures. Tell me what I missed in the comments below. (Or call me a philistine without any taste.)
1. Balfron Tower of Ernő Goldfinger, London
alt = “” (Image: Sebastian F, Creative Commons)
One of my sisters had the pleasure (?) A few years ago to live in the Balfron Towers. It is as dark in real life as on the screen, which is why Danny Boyle may have used 28 Days Later in his horror film.
Goldfinger, who also designed Trellick Tower and Brownfield Estate, was the inspiration of the author Ian Fleming for the James Bond Bösewicht Auric Goldfinger. Apparently the real Goldfinger consulted his lawyers when Goldfinger was published in 1959 (which Fleming caused to threaten to rename the figure in "Gold Prick"), but decided not to complain.
Flemings publisher agreed to cover the legal costs of gold fingers and gave him six free copies of the book.
2. 102 Small France of Sir Basil Spence, London
alt = “”> (Image: Stephen Richard, Creative Commons)
This office building in Westminster was the main location of the British Ministry of the Interior between 1978 and 2004. His creator, Sir Basil Spence, has since been accused of ruining St. James Park with his highly towering colossus.
3. Habitat 67 by Moshe Safdie, Montreal
alt = “habitat”> (Image: Vassgergely, Creative Commons)
This extensive complex was designed to combine the advantages of suburban life (gardens, fresh air and privacy) with the economy and density of an apartment building. An architectural landmark today, his apartments are extremely popular.
4. Robarts Library by Mathers & Haldenby Architects, Toronto
alt = “Robarts”> (Image: Dr.K., Creative Commons)
The human and social science library of the University of Toronto contains more than 4.5 million books in book form, 4.1 million microphales and 740,000 other books, which brought her the name "Fort Book".
5. Geisel Library by William L. Pereira & Associates, San Diego
alt = “”> (Image: Antoine Taveneaux, Creative Commons)
The hostage library of the University of California has the lower floors with numbers 1 and 2 and the upper floors with numbers 4 to 8, which leads to several theories about why the third floor is sealed off. The most popular theory says that the designers had not taken into account the possible weight of the books, so that the third floor was left empty.
6. Tricorn Center by Owen Luder and Rodney Gordon, Portsmouth
Alt = “”> (Image: Foofy, Creative Commons)
The tricorn center, which was demolished in 2004, was remarkable because it housed one of the first Virgin Megastores and the largest Laser Quest Arena in Europe. Today there is a parking space in its place ... What actually says that you need to know about Portsmouth.
7. Robin Hood Gardens by Alison and Peter Smithson, London
alt = “” (Image: Steve Cadman, Creative Commons)
This community settlement (together with the Balfron Towers already mentioned) shows why I love my home district of Tower Hamlets so much: it is ugly but full of character. Unfortunately, these "gardens" are now going through a "renovation phase", so that they may also end as a parking lot.
8. Marina City by Bertrand Goldberg, Chicago
alt = “”> (Image: Ashley Crum, Creative Commons)
These 65-story towers are said to be a residential and commercial property, but they are the parked cars that attract their attention and make the buildings look like 65-story parking garages. Nevertheless, they are quite impressive - just like the rest of Chicago.
9. Torre Velasca from BBPR, Milan
alt = “”> (Image: David Orban, Creative Commons)
This example of "modern Italian architecture" with its brutal features houses a mixture of living and commercial units. Although it is certainly an eye -catcher, it clearly contradicts Milan's reputation as an elegant and stylish city.
10. Ponte City Apartments by Mannie Feldman, Johannesburg
alt = “”> (Image: Geoffrey Hancock, Creative Commons)
This 64-story cylindrical building is the highest skyscraper in Africa. Built in 1975, it was a very coveted address, but has since become a symbol of crime and urban decay. The central space, which is known as the "core", should leave additional light into the apartments, but is reportedly stuffed with almost five floors.
11. Robert Rathbun Wilson Hall by Alan H. Rider, Batavia (at Chicago)
alt = "Photo of ugly buildings"> (Image: Wmgobuffs, Creative Commons)
This alien structure is part of Fermilab, a national laboratory that specializes in high-energy particle physics, which is probably everything that I can reasonably say on this topic.
12. Shiv Nath Prasad Shri Ram Center, New Delhi
alt = “” (Image: Ekabhishek, Creative Commons)
This building- which looks like it should accommodate an auditing company that specializes in checking the tax documents of financial consulting companies- is actually an art and cultural center dedicated to Indian theater. Obviously the certificate can.
13. Aula Delft from van den Broek en Bakema, Delft
alt = “auditorium”> (Image: Rijksdienst voor het cultureel Erfgoed, Creative Commons)
The auditorium, part of the largest and oldest public university in the Netherlands, houses the main restaurant and the university's shop as well as lecture halls and administrative offices of the university. In direct contrast to the Shri Ram Center, it is less interesting than it looks.
14. Sesc Pompéia by Lina Bo Bardi, Vila Pompeii (near São Paulo)
alt = “”> (Image: Paulisson Miura, Creative Commons)
This Center for Culture and Leisure is said to have revolutionized São Paulos attitude to his outdated industrial areas. Now with a theater, swimming pool, cafeteria, restaurant and exhibition area it is far from the barrel factory it used to be.
15. Government Center of Orange County by Paul Rudolph, New York
alt = “”> (Image: Daniel Case, Creative Commons)
After his construction in 1967, this government building was promptly referred to as the "monster". In 2010, County Executive Edward Diana said: "If I would take part in a survey in the city, she would be torn down tomorrow." He proposed a replacement building, but the district made its veto against the cost of $ 114 million.
17. Sofitel Tokyo by Kiyonori Kikutake, Tokio
alt = “”> (Image: Lover of Romance, Creative Commons)
This hotel, a cross between a spaceship and Godzilla, was closed in 2006 and now has the dubious reputation of being the highest building in Tokyo.
Note: I left out The Barbican because it is not ugly, but only ugly-ugly.
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