Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Is This one of world's fourteen ugliest buildings?

Yes, you've got it right. The October Travel & Leisure features the illustrious Bunny Wong's list of The World's Ugliest Buildings, and, somehow, Hammond Beeby's Harold L. Washington Library comes in at Number 4.

What, does she have some lingering childhood fear of gigantic, flaming owls?
Readers will know I'm not the biggest fan of the giant brickpile on State Street, but come on. Then again, Ms. Wong starts out by describing her Number One, Michael Grave's Portland Building as "one of the most hated buildings in America." Most Hated. Most Ugly. Most Easy to Get Pictures Of. Same. Same. Same. Right?

With a couple of exceptions, the buildings on Wong's list are less ugly than loopy, often quite pleasantly so, as in the case of No. Six, the Longaberger Home Office building in Newark, Ohio.
(My God, all those people milling around the parking lot, they look just like ants.)

Seriously, how could anyone call any of the structures on Wong's list the world's ugliest once they've experienced something like this:What do you think is the ugliest building, if not in the world, then at least in Chicago? And why?

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a joke. Im not a fan of post-modernism, but in this case it was actually done pretty well.

I would probably nominate one of those god awful precast Lucien LaGrange river north monstrosities. 10 E Deleware in particular is mind-blowingly bad. Its an insult to the intelligence of every single person who has to look at it.

Pete said...

The library's roof is indeed hideous, but the rest of it is fine. (Which is one of the building's problems - the roof doesn't fit with the rest.) My vote for ugliest in Chicago is the Thompson Center.

Whetstone said...

I think the badly-organized inside of the HWLC deserves scorn, but I like the exterior.

Ugliest building: Streeterville. (I kid.) (No, actually, I don't.)

Anonymous said...

The Harold Washington Library is a terrific building (no sarcasm) and it will be more appreciated with each decade. It's only flaw is the lack of a great interior space on the first floor.

People from all over the world take pictures of the Harold Washington Library. I have seen many tourists stop to take photos. They seem to like the building. Are they simpletons? I don't think so. They see something interesting in this building. So do I.

Anonymous said...

I knew someone was going to say Thompson Center. Is it bad that I secretly kind of like it?

patrick said...

No... the library is clearly not one of the ugliest buildings in the world... it is however hideous... its bulky and dark... the fake bronze roof is hideous and it has to be one of the most terribly planned public buildings ive ever been in... there is no natural light, and you practically need a map to navigate.

patrick said...

i like the thompson center too... formally i really like it... in a few years hopefully they'll pull out that terrible colored glass and replace it with something more subtle

Anonymous said...

I agree with the comments about the colored panels at the Thompson Center.

If they got rid of the blue and the red (salmon?) then the Thompson Center would be a gem.

Anonymous said...

I've always felt the large slab of a building on Wabash, between Adams and Monroe, is the ugliest building in the city. It'a an eye sore when viewed from Grant or Millennium Park.

Isaac said...

The Thompson center is hideous. Certainly the interior colors are awful, but the exterior view is no gem either. It is squat, misshapen and just generally unattractive. I'm not even a big fan of the spaces inside, the food court is much to dark, all the natural light is spoiled on a completely underutilized center court, while the restaurants and diners are left in the shade.

Other obvious candidates, Soldier Field and The pimple building at Museum Park. As I recall, UIC campus has a couple of hideous buildings as well, a high rise in particular.

Larry said...

I'm no fan of the original architecture of 55 E. Monroe (large slab on Wabash)but the block long lobby has kept me warm and dry for years going to and from work, which I appreciate. the condo rehab at the top of the building helps a little to break down the scale but it seems like they have a color match problem with the old and new. Maybe the whole building needs to be cleaned.

Anonymous said...

The roof of the HWL is awesome. It's a shame that we live in an age when people are terrified of ornament in architecture. I love Mies as dutifully as the rest, but I'll take the chrome eagles of the Chrysler building over a thousand of his golden ratio boxes any day. The general absence of crowns, finials and spires in postwar Chicago buildings is pretty depressing. Trump could really use a hat, I like the idea of a ten story highly abstracted, tapering acanthus leaf motif myself, if only to give Adrian Smith nightmares. Even worse though is the present trend of tacking on waving or sloped canopies like jaunty caps on otherwise monotonous structures. That's real lipstick on a pig stuff there. Incidentally, 55 W. Monroe was fortunately spared one of these "rad" bonnets in its present overhaul, although it continues to move from a plain, probably ponderous but contextually appropriate building to one that is just plain ugly. I like the crown of Title and Trust personally. All things considered, the Thompson center is the best big building built in Chicago in the past thirty years. Big Helmut fan here. The fear of color is as bad or worse than that of ornament, and just the kind of sentiment that gives rise to all of these dun towers of appeasement that have typified the recent boom.

skimble said...

I agree with many of the others that the interior floor plan is perhaps uglier than the exterior. It is downright hostile to patrons to force them to take three escalators and an elevator to get near a book (discounting the "popular" 7-11 library on the ground floor).

I read somewhere that the cost of the owls was almost exactly the amount cut from the book budget for the year of the building's debut. Count me as pro-decoration, but even more vehemently pro-book.

Unknown said...

Interesting comments! HWL doesn't much thrill me, but to call it one of the ugliest is just plain loopy. It's not even the worst one in Chicago. Have we, for example, forgotten the Michigan Avenue Marriott? Even in its reincarnation, the base remains an abomination. I agree that the Thompson Center might be much improved by getting ride of the salmon. I avoid that block so I don't have to see it.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing this post. There are many structures in the world that can be stated as the most ugkiest structures. some of them are Ryogyong Hotel, Royal Ontario Musuem, Petrobras Headquarters, Markel Building, Zizkov Television Tower, Beehive, National Library of Pristina, Center Georges Pompidou, Federation Square, Morris A. Mechanic Theater for more details on this structure visit Top 10 World’s Ugliest Structures

Monnika Jacob said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jennifer Lauren said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jennifer Lauren said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jennifer Lauren said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
pihugupta said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Alejandraleo said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Alejandraleo said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anny Christine said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
belle smith said...

What Is The Right Time To Make A Call At Chime Customer Service Number?
There is no fix timing to get the technical assistance by making a call at Chime Customer Service number. So, if you are in trouble and having a bad time with your Cash App account, then you should immediately make use of it to get a complete solution under the proper supervision of the tech specialists.


Perez Johnson said...

How Much Send Cash App Money If A Verified Account?
A verified account enables you to send $7500 per week and accepts unlimited amount of money without any kind of hassle. Moreover, if you are still looking for the right information about How Much Send Cash App Money you should immediately contact the Cash App support engineers without wasting your time.

nova smith said...

How Do I Report A Cash App Account If Unable To Get A Cash App Card?
Do you want to the right procedure about How Do I Report A Cash App Account? Here, you can complain about the problems you face while trying to apply for a Cash App card.Luckily, you will surely get a permanent solution to the whole host of your problems permanently from the root.

cropaa said...

Cropaa is the best company in India for providing Mobile Accessories. It also provides the mobile cover for many companies like Oppo, Vivo, Samsung, Realme, etc. it provides all products all over India. If any customer wants the best Online Shop For Mobile Accessories then he can visit the Cropaa website and choose the mobile accessories according to the requirements.

zingerart said...

Zinger Art is leading the best online Candle Holder shop. You can view your favourite Items with price options all in one place. Browse our collection of stylish candle stands right here and give your home a latest and fascinating fresh look.

tour2review said...

Natural beauties and tourist attractions abound in Telangana. We've compiled a list of Tourist places in Telangana that will leave you breathless in their sheer majesty, whether you're looking for natural beauty, architecture, or historical information. Historical attractions and religious sanctuaries abound in the state, which was originally part of Andhra Pradesh. On June 2, 2014, Telangana, on the other hand, became India's 29th state. If you're interested in history and holy locations, look into old architecture. Hyderabad, Medak, and Adilabad are three of Telangana's most popular tourism spots. Because of its unique blend of culture, history, and architecture, Nizamabad is a well-known tourist destination.
Tourist places in Telangana

Pool Samurai said...

Great job you are doing. Today I am visited your article and really very interesting for me and I hope peoples are love this one. Thanks for share To know more info, Click here: pool vacuums leaves

Info Captain said...

Here, in tutflix, all the users have access to various courses and in all fields. Since tutflix is a certified public schooling Institution, it has updated and up-to-date content.

Layla Sly said...

I appreciate the author's talent for delivering a clear and concise message. This article is a breath of fresh air in a world of information overload. Early detection of colorblindness in children can lead to better understanding and support for their specific needs, fostering their self-confidence and ensuring they receive appropriate accommodations to thrive academically and socially. Using this article you will get information about Colorblindness in kids.

Blue Yonder Corp said...


Dental merchant processing facilitates secure electronic transactions for dental practices, streamlining payment procedures and enhancing patient experience. Tailored to the unique needs of dental professionals, it offers seamless integration with practice management systems, enabling swift and accurate billing. With robust encryption and compliance with industry standards such as HIPAA, it ensures the confidentiality of sensitive patient information.

Flexible payment options, including credit cards, debit cards, and electronic funds transfers, accommodate diverse patient preferences. Additionally, features like recurring billing and appointment scheduling optimize administrative efficiency. By providing reliable, efficient payment solutions, Dental merchant processing supports the financial health and operational effectiveness of dental practices.