Wednesday 18 February, 2004

Ugliest building in Britain

Tricorn_small.jpgTricorn centre in Portsmouth, the building once named as the ugliest building in Britain, should be demolished. And actually, they are planning to - except some raging campaigners who want to get protected have managed to buy some time for it. As a resident and frequent visitor to that neighbourhood, I can indeed confirm that it is one of the ugliest buildings ever (reminds me of another building with same kind of problems - Makkaratalo in Helsinki). I was delighted when I heard it was going to be scrapped, and I have absolutely no idea who these nameless people who want to save it are, and most of all why anyone would like to keep that kind of monstrosity.

Granted, the building has a very exotic shape, but what it has in originality is overshadowed by its general ugliness - naked concrete, dark, damp, depressing. The supporters seem to have lot of ideas - mostly to do with painting or covering the concrete in some way. Another problem is that the complex has now been empty for quite a while now and has been vandalised too, so the cost of refurbishing is going up all the time. I understand that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but this is surely taking it too far.

(The problem with Portsmouth is that it was bombed very heavily during the Second World War (being the naval base) and had to be rebuilt. Unfortunately at that time rebuilding meant ugly concrete buildings, and now Portsmouth has more than it's fare share of those.)

Posted by kolibri at 18 February 10:15, 2004
Comments
# 1 - Mikki (on February 19, 2004 09:55 AM):

I'd love to have Makkaratalo stay exactly the way it is -- exactly because it's so ugly.


# 2 - Kolibri (on February 19, 2004 10:00 AM):

I like Makkaratalo too, but I know it has it's haters. Or perhaps more accurately I don't have anything against it.

But imagine Makkaralo empty for two years - now that would be depressing. That's what Tricorn centre is like. I have to take you to see it when you come and visit ;)


# 3 - Mikki (on February 19, 2004 11:02 AM):

Fair enough. =)

Personally, I really like big, old, ugly buldings. If they've been abandoned, all the better -- I have a thing for urban decay, I guess.

Although, if you throw in too many people pissing in the corners or kids drinking stolen beer or whatever, the charm goes away real quick.


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