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China’s ugliest buildings: contest to celebrate unsightly architecture begins

bishopp135

bishopp135

Member
Oct 29, 2017
984
www.scmp.com

‘Welcome to hell’: voting begins for China’s 10 ‘ugliest buildings’

Buildings shaped like a babushka doll, Aladdin’s magic carpet and other bizarre designs vie for top place in China’s annual vote on the country’s most hideous buildings.
www.scmp.com www.scmp.com

Since 2010 Chinese architecture website archcy.com has been holding an annual vote for the "Top 10 Ugliest Buildings" in China. The website said that the goal is to: "spark discussion about the beauty and ugliness of architecture and promote architects' social responsibility".

As China has undergone rapid urbanisation over the past 40 years, numerous ambitious projects have ended up as follies and eyesores. Many have been denounced by the public – from the "giant trousers" structure of the China Central Television headquarters in Beijing to the half-Temple of Heaven, half-US Capitol building in nearby Hebei province.

The list has proved so successful at drawing attention to bad architecture it has even prompted a government response. In April this year, China issued a ban on "ugly architecture", nearly seven years after President Xi Jinping famously criticised the "weird" buildings popping up across China over the last few decades.
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Some of the contenders this year:

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AGIizfd.jpeg


This description is amazing.

The babushka dolls are watching you: Matryoshka Hotel in Manzhouli, Inner Mongolia
The hotel is the biggest in the region, with three buildings on the site. The first building is the largest babushka doll themed architecture in the world at 72 metres tall. However, tourists found it creepy: "Whether you're dining, sleeping, walking, the dolls will be watching you".
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Let's share some other ugly buildings.
 
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bishopp135

bishopp135

Member
Oct 29, 2017
984
Slayven said:
Whats wrong with this one?
cbd2431c-15fe-11ec-ab69-f2bfe93835cf_972x_174356.jpeg
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Basically students are pissed because it is a useless gate and they are voting for it.

This gate has six pillars and was built using crowdfunded donations from alumni. It had the words "Zhejiang University" in the middle and the core values of the school carved on each pillar. However, most felt that it only served a ceremonial purpose, as the gate is next to some vegetable fields and a river and leads nowhere; no one ever uses it.
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InASnowBoundLand

InASnowBoundLand

Member
Mar 9, 2018
3,766
Maybe someone should compile a list of the "top worst ugly building identifiers"...because ALL of those are good, including the holes building.
 
kmfdmpig

kmfdmpig

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
19,401
InASnowBoundLand said:
Maybe someone should compile a list of the "top worst ugly building identifiers"...because ALL of those are good, including the holes building.
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They certainly look interesting. I think I'd like the holes one if not for the garish colors. The guitar church thing looks like a trashy marriage spot in Vegas with its average marriages lasting 3 days.
 
Sabretooth

Sabretooth

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,084
India
Came into this thread expecting laughs at stupid buildings, leaving the thread feeling sad I'll probably never get to visit Matryoshka Hotel...
 
Chopchop

Chopchop

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,171
I think the violin shaped building is kinda cool, but the rest of the building is pretty ugly.

Third building is a pretty cool idea, but they probably didn't expect it to look so creepy.
 
Chaofahn

Chaofahn

Member
Nov 16, 2017
463
Melbourne, Australia
The issue with these buildings is that.... architecture is often a balance between form and function, a mix of engineering and art. There are design guidelines and expectations, coupled with local construction requirements, so oftentimes you won't see the likes of the Babushka building, because that shit veers too far into the "form" part of architecture, and not enough in the function.

All these are most likely the result of rushing to build up cities, corruption to skip adhering to "standards", or the hiring of amateur architects whose designs are as subtle as a screaming duck.

TL;DR: Too much form, not enough function.
 
Parch

Parch

Member
Nov 6, 2017
7,980
Big, grey, generic, cheap, apartment housing is ugly. Everybody has plenty of those.
 
Chikor

Chikor

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
14,239
there are so many ugly ass buildings in china and they went with these.
huh
I do not see eye to eye with that architecture website.

bishopp135 said:
AGIizfd.jpeg


This description is amazing.

Let's share some other ugly buildings.
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I've been to this place.
It's this kitchy "little Russia" touristy thing, but not without charm.
They have like a miniature model of the red square and shit.

The city itself is pretty cool.
 
Dyno

Dyno

AVALANCHE
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
13,377
Sabretooth

Sabretooth

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,084
India
Raftina

Raftina

Member
Jun 27, 2020
3,681
Dyno said:
The 4th one has a star wars look going for it and I think I kinda like it lol
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Regiruler said:
What's wrong with the last one?
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Those are actually 2 images containing 2 pictures each. The 4th one got on the list because it was modeled after a beehive--as in the entire building, including interior designs, lights, etc are modeled after beehives: https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1673633397889402554&wfr=spider&for=pc

Personally I think the theme is pretty cool, so I would want to stay there for the novelty if I ever go to Nanjing. But that is why it is on the list.
 
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