The Ugliest Building in London - Jury Decision Architecture & Design

"Ugliness can be beautiful or it can be plain ugly. Size does not matter."

Finally, in a highly competitive field, we have a winner for the Ugliest Building in London period January-July 2010. Enjoy!

Vauxhall Cross has suffered as a result of a number of recent buildings in the area but by far the worst anywhere in London is the winner.

The whole area seems to have been designed without any process of thought and the winner seems to be the result. As such it symbolizes the general London approach to urban development, especially outside the West End and other privileged areas.

This is why 'Urinal' was voted unanimously by the jury with the accolade of The Ugliest Building in London.

Vauxhall Cross is a mish mash of dangerous crossings, fast traffic, contra-flow bus lanes and inelegant urban solutions that appear to have been designed as a revenge attack against the individual as a social entity. At best it looks like a chicane in a Formula 1 race track of years ago. At worst, well, this is why the winner is there.

We do not advocate a pastoral return to a Prince Charles style of bucolic nirvana nor an urban development reminiscent of one of Elizabeth I palaces.

We do not call either for the development of Bluewater-style shopping mall.

However, it should be posible to retain a modicum of local flavour with all its diversity and social edginess without resorting to open urinals. The Urinal is a step too far in the wrong direction - literally.

After staking out the contraption for a number of hours our volunteers did not see a male using the facilty once. Perhaps it's there for use on Friday and Saturday nights when a number of clubs in the area party hard until early hours of the morning.

URINAL IN VAUXHALL CROSS
Archictect: Unknown
Urban Design: Unknown.
Contractor: Unknown.
(Credits will be updated after investigation is completed)

The Ugliest Building in London competition is sponsored by the South London Documentary Unit Endownment for the Arts and Design and it takes place twice a year.

Soon to be posted in YouTube: London shortlist 'The Ugliest Building in London' period January-June 2010.

INTERNATIONAL JURY COMMENTS EXTRACTS.

French: "Oh-la-la!"
German: "Achtung, baby !"
Brazilian: "Not even in favelas !"
Italian: "Mafia backhander ?"
USA: "BP sponsored ?"
Londoner: "Unfit for Royals"
President of the Jury: "Worthy winner hands down, literally !"

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• architecture
• urban
• design
• ugly
• buildings
• london
• uk
• royal
• institute
• of
• british
• jury
• decision

[vigo894]

1:35= Was James Bond home? Ha ha.

[documentaryunit]

@vigo894 Correct !

[Fireclimbing]

Nice video. So have you got any pictures of the old cross or square or whatever was there. Good work.

[documentaryunit]

@Fireclimbing Thanks. We knew somebody somewhere would appreciate our decision. Are you are user?  As for what was there before we don't have the faintiest. Maybe somebody might come up with an old photo or something. If you have have one, please let us know.

[underneonloneliness2]

I like that building

[RichardHartl]

If you think this is ugly you should see most areas, even in some of the downtown of Toronto, Canada. Can't figure out why so many Brits come to Canada, we have nothing even close to something a 50th of London. I will admit though, the Urinal is really something...

[PtAltmVansanTarr]

OMGWTF

[PtAltmVansanTarr]

O M G WY

[IanEduardoMeneses]

WTF

[awarenessis]

Here in socialist america it is called progressive.

[Nixupiz3]

nah man the elephant & castle shopping center is the ugliest building in london thats why they are pulling it down just go and see it man

[newsreeldemocracy]

@mischnix Thanks. We strive to push the limits in a city that knows no limits. We are compiling a mouth-watering short list for the period July-December. Shuddering.