Oxford student dorms also in the firing line – British architecture magazine names them the “ugliest building”

▲ Although the other side of the building faces a vast grassy field, the unremarkably designed “Oxford University Student Residential Community” was still voted the UK’s ugliest building of 2013 by the British architecture magazine (photo / viaWikipedia)

Tourism Centre / Comprehensive Report

Dubbed the alternative Stirling Prize (UK’s prestigious architecture award),the British architecture magazineselects theCarbuncle Cup (tentatively translated as the “Ugly Building Cup”)each year, revealing what it considers the six most unattractive buildings in the UK. This year, a student dormitory at the prestigious Oxford University claimed the top spot as the worst.

Published once a year, theCarbuncle CupCarbuncle Cup began in 2006 when the British architecture magazine invited industry professionals to jointly select 5 to 10 of the ugliest buildings from the past 12 months. Each year, numerous well-known British structures have been ridiculed and criticized through this award. This year, the magazine expanded its scope to include schools across the UK, and even globally renowned Oxford University wasn’t spared. The Castle Mill Housing student dormitory complex in the suburbs received the highest number of votes ever, earning the title of the UK’s ugliest building of 2013.

“If it were just a single building with that design, it might barely scrape by — but an entire street lined with identical-looking structures is simply dreadful,” the British architecture magazine remarked sharply. Even though the other side of the dorm offers views of sprawling meadows, the building’s uninspired and forgettable design failed to resonate with the architecture-loving judges, who crowned it with the unfortunate title of “ugliest building.”

Another contender, the “London University Student Dormitory” located at 465 Old Scotland Yard in London, took second place on the list of ugly buildings. Judges felt that the structure was already bad to begin with, but renovations only made it worse. The British architecture magazine mocked: “When students move into these dark rooms with little personal space, they might finally understand why prison inmates always hope for better living conditions.” With more than half the rooms lacking sufficient sunlight, cramped private quarters, and an unappealing exterior, the judges shook their heads in disapproval.

▲ The “Rhyl Seafront Observatory” in northern England, with an appearance resembling a limb wrapped in colored bandages, was deemed one of this year’s ugliest buildings despite boasting stunning sea views. (Photo / screenshot from YouTube)

In addition, the other four buildings on the list include the oddly shaped and underwhelming “London Avant Garde Building”; the one that lacks any urban flair and instead resembles an old space shuttle — the “Prime Minister’s Hotel” in Lambeth; the “Elan Valley Visitor Centre” in chilly Wales, mocked for looking like a garbage dump; and the “Rhyl Seafront Observatory” in northern England, which, despite offering spectacular views, features an exterior design that looks like a diseased finger wrapped in multicolored bandages — far from beautiful.