Ugly Canada 2 (Only architecture, planning and design faux pas)

[GeneralLeeTPHLS]

Lawrence Square? It's ugly in some ways, but it's not that bad. If you replaced some of the parking lots it'd be better.

[stevanford1]

Originally Posted by niwell

Not gonna lie I actually like a lot of the modernist structures posted on the last several pages of this thread. Even some of the post-modern stuff (Mississauga City Hall) is well done and a good example of the style.

The real dreck are the suburban strip malls and new residential developments.

Well I can agree on that. Toronto’s became a giant condo complex as of late. Concord Shittyplace is a good example of that.

[stevanford1]

In terms of cheesy Pomo Mississauga rules all. I present to you “Chicago”. I put air quotes there because Chicago has architecture 500x better than this building.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by stevanford1

In terms of cheesy Pomo Mississauga rules all. I present to you “Chicago”. I put air quotes there because Chicago has architecture 500x better than this building.

]

That building behind it almost looks like a rip-off of the 1000 de la Gauchetière in Montreal.

[stevanford1]

Originally Posted by Acajack

That building behind it almost looks like a rip-off of the 1000 de la Gauchetière in Montreal.

It kinda is. Only it has gargoyles.

[stevanford1]

Capital Towers is just as bad. If not worse.

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by niwell

Not gonna lie I actually like a lot of the modernist structures posted on the last several pages of this thread. Even some of the post-modern stuff (Mississauga City Hall) is well done and a good example of the style.

SSP architectural critique in a nutshell:

[O-tacular]

E-baum's world worthy combo of businesses:

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.0377...7i13312!8i6656

Oogliness on another level:

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.0387...7i13312!8i6656

Is it inspired by the colours of Christmas?

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by stevanford1

Why hasn’t anyone mentioned the drug trip known as Crossiron Mills? The exterior is equally awful.

One of my first contributions to the original Ugly Canada thread was indeed Cross Iron Mills. Fucking awful place.









WTF is this shit?!?



It's "ART".

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by stevanford1

Vantage Pointe looks more godawful the more I look at it.

Vantage PointE definitely has a place in the pantheon of Uglies.

[O-tacular]

Mini Clockzilla I saw last May in Ste. Julie:



You can almost feel the malevolence projecting from the eyes.

[O-tacular]

The Toadstool building from Calgary:

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by stevanford1

Oh they repainted it? Does it look significantly different? I think LED’s would look cool on the Calgary Tower

The new version is the one you posted. The old version looked like this:



Sorry I can't find a clearer pic. It was yellow and red. Looking at it again the retro colours weren't so bad.

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

The Toadstool building from Calgary:

This building looks really sad, I feel bad making fun of it.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by stevanford1

Both are brutal.

If a brutalist building is "brutal" isn't that actually success and a compliment?

[TorontoDrew]

Cross Iron Mills has a twin in Vaughan.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

Cross Iron Mills has a twin in Vaughan.

Yes it appears they used the same kitschy blueprint.

[stevanford1]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Yes it appears they used the same kitschy blueprint.

Not as fugly as Crossiron but that’s hard to do.

[stevanford1]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Vantage PointE definitely has a place in the pantheon of Uglies.

I recognize Vantage Pointe and I recognize Chadora but what is that blue building?

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by stevanford1

I recognize Vantage Pointe and I recognize Chadora but what is that blue building?

That is a troubled and many times re-designed condo called the Park that unfortunately overlooks Calgary's Central Memorial Park. It sat as a concrete skeleton with no walls for years.

There was an original design I can't seem to find that was mustard coloured but had a more interesting shape. Then there was this version which was criticized by the Beltline community association for its hideous use of stucco:



The developer relented and offered this proposal which was approved:



I'm not sure if the developer simply had financial troubles or just wanted to give the community and city a massive middle finger, but this is what ended up being built:



It is imo the most god awful of any condos built in the last 2 decades in the Beltline. Even worse than Vantage Pointe. It is in such a highly visible location and is so jarringly ugly that I would even nominate it as the worst building in Calgary.

Here's a streetview to give you some context:


https://www.google.com/maps/@51.0406...7i13312!8i6656


https://www.google.com/maps/@51.0405...7i13312!8i6656

The backside is even worse.

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.0399...7i13312!8i6656

Park Point is a nice new condo that was built facing Central Memorial along 17th Ave. The units facing the park itself probably commanded premium pricing. I think they should have been discounted though for having to be retinally assaulted every day by the big blue porta-potty across the way.

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.0415...7i13312!8i6656

See it trying to hide behind the trees:

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.0415...7i13312!8i6656