Painful architecture - it hurts to look at it

[gsdx]

The ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) used to be a beautiful building until an addition was opened in 2007. It is easily one of the most painful pieces of architecture in Canada.

Much of the world agrees.

Post your own favourite painful architecture.

Here's the original ROM:

And here's the *shudder shudder* 'Crystal':

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

fa starters

United nations

there go

 

[GayPopeye]

I dont like the first one

 

[Críostóir]

Ugh. Ly.

You needed Prince Charles to come critique it. He said, of a proposed addition to the British Museum, "What is proposed is like a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much loved and elegant friend."

He also said "You have to give this much to the Luftwaffe. When it knocked down our buildings, it didn't replace them with anything more offensive than rubble."

 

[gsdx]

I dont like the first one

The first one was built over 100 years ago. It's still there, hidden behind and attached to The Crystal. You can still see the old ROM in the second picture. They're completely incompatible.

 

[Telstra]

Looks fine to me.
1000 times better than a house.

 

[Alistair]

It just doesn't fit in the surrounding environment. I think it's quite beautiful.

I wonder how much the Pyramid at The Louvre influenced the design? It's the first thing that came to mind when I saw the OP's photos

 

[Críostóir]

this is truly fugly...it does not belong at the Louvre

But...but that's where Mary Magdalen's bones are!

 

[cityboy-stl]

We have this God awful piece of crap right in the middle of downtown. I'm not talking about the building which is the Civil Courts. I'm talking about the ugly rusting iron panels in front of it. There used to be a very nice city park here with a fountain and and park benches. Then the dumbshit city paid a fortune for Richard Serra to erect this eyesore. They call it a "sculpture". The whole block is now ruined with what looks like permanent construction barricades. The homeless go inside and use it for a urinal and the whole area smells like an outhouse in the summer. You can't even go near it. It's a total monstrosity. Everyone, and I mean everyone hates it. It more than hurts to look at, it turns your stomach.

 

[GhostMost]

I never understood what was so special about the Parthenon, sure it can stand it's ground through time, but it's so very basic.

 

[Críostóir]

I never understood what was so special about the Parthenon, sure it can stand it's ground through time, but it's so very basic.

For 'basic' read 'perfect' and you'll get it. It fits perfectly inside a golden rectangle, for one thing. It's simple and flawless and no one had done anything that simple and flawless before, and no one has since.

 

[gsdx]

I don't understand this at all. Maybe it's the camera angle, but it certainly isn't inviting.

 

[GhostMost]

For 'basic' read 'perfect' and you'll get it. It fits perfectly inside a golden rectangle, for one thing. It's simple and flawless and no one had done anything that simple and flawless before, and no one has since.

It's still very painful to look at to me.

 

[gsdx]

It's still very painful to look at to me.

It may be painful, but it will outlast anything being built today.

 

[HoodedRat]

The 'Gherkin' in London is a total eyesore as far as I am concerned.

 

[gsdx]

The 'Gherkin' in London is a total eyesore as far as I am concerned.

Every time I see it, a huge, honkin' gun the size of Manhattan pops into my brain.

 

[Críostóir]

It's still very painful to look at to me.

Only because it's a ruin.

It may be painful, but it will outlast anything being built today.

Unless pollution continues to destroy it.

 

[thermodynamics]

Spruce Tree Centre: St Paul, MN.

Straight out of the 80's.

It might not be obvious from this photo, but the thing is clad in green ceramic tile with white grout, along with bright red trim.

 

[curiousunistudent]

The ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) used to be a beautiful building until an addition was opened in 2007. It is easily one of the most painful pieces of architecture in Canada.

Much of the world agrees.

Post your own favourite painful architecture.

Here's the original ROM:

And here's the *shudder shudder* 'Crystal':

I'm sorry, they're the same building?!?!

 

[gsdx]

I'm sorry, they're the same building?!?!

Yes. It's the new addition attached to the old museum. In the second photo, you can see part of the brick wall and windowd from the old museum.

Imagine something like The Crystal stuck to the front entrance of Buckingham Palace or the White House.

It just wouldn't happen. But an iconic museum is fair game.

It's a travesty.