Ugliest building in the world

[adma]

Granted it's a thread in the "Rest of the Universe Discussion" section, but Toronto examples are certainly within the scope of the "Ugliest building in the world" topic. As long as it doesn't devolve into a discussion of the ugliest building in Toronto, then it doesn't strike me as either awkward or off-topic.

Maybe my issue is that the Toronto examples mentioned tend not to be "in the world" enough...

 

[UD2]

want an ugly building? Look no further than our very own Ryerson University Library

 

[junctionist]

want an ugly building?

No, we want THE UGLIEST, quantifiable world-class failures, not average buildings in the city that you may not like.

 

[adma]

My point exactly.

 

[UD2]

No, we want THE UGLIEST, quantifiable world-class failures, not average buildings in the city that you may not like.

I'm sorry. I may have miscommunicated.

that IS the ulgliest building in the world.

 

[adma]

I'm sorry. I may have miscommunicated.

that IS the ulgliest building in the world.

Maybe if you're a pre-adolescent who's woefully unworldly in the ways of architectural ugliness...

 

[UD2]

Maybe if you're a pre-adolescent who's woefully unworldly in the ways of architectural ugliness...

Or maybe you're just an insecure ethnocentric narcissist because Toronto cannot possibly have the ugliest building in the world.

oh wait, but we're not emotional about these kind of things over here are we?

 

[LowPolygon]

Or maybe you're just an insecure ethnocentric narcissist because Toronto cannot possibly have the ugliest building in the world.

oh wait, but we're not emotional about these kind of things over here are we?

Please provide the following information when you have a minute:

In what specific ways is the Ryerson Library "the ugliest building in the world"?

Please describe the criteria and method by which you discerned this to be true.

Please list the runners up.

​

Thanks.​

 

[UD2]

Please provide the following information when you have a minute:

In what specific ways is the Ryerson Library "the ugliest building in the world"?

Please describe the criteria and method by which you discerned this to be true.

Please list the runners up.

​

Thanks.​

The thing's ugly, not pretty to look at, displeasing to the eye, or however else people define ugly.
Did you or someone you knew design this building? I'm sorry if that's the case becaues no offense was meant.

Now can we please move on?

 

[adma]

The thing's ugly, not pretty to look at, displeasing to the eye, or however else people define ugly.
Did you or someone you knew design this building? I'm sorry if that's the case becaues no offense was meant.

Now can we please move on?

No, we're not going to move on. Instead, let me recommend you to this book
http://www.chbooks.com/catalogue/concrete_toronto

Maybe that'll knock some sense into your head. (Oh, and the building's by Webb Zerafa Menkes.)

And--really. Ugliest in the *world*?!? That's exercising the most amateurish "yo'mama" school of architectural judgment--which is, really, the point of our criticism here...

 

[adma]

And, to pitch to your level...shouldn't you take something like this into account?

Or, outside of Toronto, this?

Or, to get away from concrete brutalism, this thing just to the south?

So, as you see, even if I try to play devil's advocate, I can shoot holes through the "Ryerson = world's ugliest" logic, simply by pointing out that you're not taking a truly broader spectrum into account...

 

[UD2]

^^^

And in fact I find the buildings that you've posted extremely interesting to look at and, even, fascinating.

Also on this point allow me end my involvement in this discussion. Please forgive me for finding debates against the zealous to be pointless.

 

[adma]

So, what's so fatally, world-scale...un-fascinating about Ryerson by comparison? I mean, from street level along Victoria, it's got a fascinating setback composition to appeal to the Trelickistas out there. And as for the aerial view you're showing...face it. The western face is the backside. It faces an alley. It's not meant for show per se. It may not be the best Brutalism has to offer; but it's far from the worst--heck, I've said it before; there's an argument to be made that Kerr Hall is bleaker and more banal and oppressive than the Jorgenson/Library combo which, indeed, has an "extremely interesting to look at" quality by comparison--even the slitted pillbox that's the library. Other than the bas-reliefs, Kerr Hall is mostly just red-brick neo-Georgian-in-dotage zilch. (And I'm offering that as *an* argument, not as *the* argument.)

And, a shame if you're chickening out of "debates against the zealous". This machine kills amateurs, I guess.

 

[Archivist]

Anybody who proposes that the ugliest building in the world resides in Toronto really needs to get out more. I saw many buildings that I would consider uglier in Hong Kong than the Ryerson example proposed within five minutes of arriving at the city. For that matter, you could choose a concrete block, tin covered shanty from one of India's slums and declare it the ugliest in the world - surely truer than for the Ryerson example - but what's the point, really?

In the end, though, the discussion is pointless - taste surely plays a role, as does maintenance. With millions of buildings worldwide to choose from and no criteria outlined - how would you really make a choice?

I would propose that if even one person is likely to defend the building on aesthetic grounds (as is the case with the Ryerson example provided) then I would automatically disqualify it. There's some intense rivalry happening here.

 

[Whoaccio]

The ugliest 'building' on earth is probably some kind of Stalinist shack in Eastern Europe that has been commandeered by gypsies. A large number of the earth's structures probably don't even meet safety standards, they would automatically beat anything in Toronto as they may not even do their job of providing shelter. If you add the caveat of architect designed buildings in the first world, then Toronto would probably have some contenders for ugliest buildings. Out of buildings which were specifically designed by an architect to be beautiful, the Ryerson Library is notable for its' ugliness.

Is it the ugliest building in this category? How can anyone say? It makes more sense to just categorize buildings as opposed to trying to individually rank them. On one hand you have five star buildings like the Swiss Re building or the Bank of China tower in HK. Then maybe buildings like Bay Adelaide or the 4SC, buildings which do their job pleasantly and well, but are ultimately unremarkable. It could also include buildings that are remarkable in their appearance, but impractical otherwise. New City Hall may fit into this category, along with things like San Fran's Federal Building.

In the one star category you get buildings like Ryerson's Library. It wasn't original (if ever a concrete box was). The choice of concrete in Toronto's climate was questionable to begin with, I am unaware of a material that weathers worse, maybe cotton candy. It doesn't even use concrete to its' full potential, like Boston City Hall or even Robart's. That the building is justified because a quarter of it isn't meant to be seen is the architectural equivalent of calling a woman beautiful, with the prerequisite of putting a bag on her face. It's hardly unique in this category, probably thousands of buildings around the world could qualify, at least a dozen from around Toronto. They aren't original, they aren't appealing and they are usually built on the tail end of a more impressive building in the attempt to capitalize on other people's work