Carbuncle Cup

Last updated

Carbuncle Cup
Awarded forAnnual architecture prize given to the ugliest building in the United Kingdom
Sponsored by Building Design
First awarded2006;18 years ago (2006)
Last awarded2018

The Carbuncle Cup was an architecture prize, given annually by the magazine Building Design to "the ugliest building in the United Kingdom completed in the last 12 months". [1] It was intended to be a humorous response to the prestigious Stirling Prize, [2] given by the Royal Institute of British Architects. [3]

Contents

The cup was launched in 2006, with the first winner being Drake Circus Shopping Centre in Plymouth by Chapman Taylor. [4] A shortlist was announced by the periodical each year, based on nominations from the public, and usually in the same week as the Stirling Prize shortlist. Free voting via the magazine's website was at first used to select the winner. From 2009 onwards, a small group of critics selected the winner.

The award was inspired by the Carbuncle Awards that Scottish architecture magazine Urban Realm , formerly Prospect, had been presenting to buildings and areas in Scotland since 2000. [5]

The name derives from a comment in 1984 by the then Prince of Wales Charles III, an opponent of certain modernist styles and forms and a staunch defender of existing characterisations, themes and points of interest, who described Ahrends, Burton and Koralek's proposed extension of London's National Gallery as a "monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend". [6] [7]

The event was last held in 2018.

Winners and nominees

YearArchitectWinning workNominees and works
2006 Chapman Taylor
Drake Circus Shopping Centre, Plymouth - geograph.org.uk - 1702249.jpg
Drake Circus Shopping Centre,
Plymouth [8]
2007 Stephen George & Partners University of Leicester HWB and Opal Court.JPG Opal Court,
Leicester [9]
2008 EPR Architects Hotel Radisson Saint Helyi Jerri Janvyi 2010 b.jpg Radisson SAS Waterfront hotel,
Saint Helier, Jersey [2] [10]
2009 Hamilton Architects Leeds-Liverpool Canal - panoramio.jpg Liverpool Ferry Terminal,
Liverpool [11] [12]
2010 BFLS Strata SE1 from Monument 2014.jpg Strata SE1,
Elephant & Castle, London [14]
2011 Fairhurst, Chapman Taylor and Wilkinson Eyre MediaCityUK, July 2016 (02).JPG MediaCityUK,
Salford, Greater Manchester [15]
2012 Grimshaw Architects Cutty Sark 26-06-2012 (7471553602).jpg Cutty Sark Renovation,
Greenwich, London [17]
2013 Stephen George & Partners Unbridled facadism, Caledonian Road, N7 (geograph 5265516).jpg 465 Caledonian Road,
University College London [19]
2014 Sheppard Robson Woolwich Central Tesco.jpg Woolwich Central,
Woolwich, London [21]
2015 Rafael Viñoly Walkie-Talkie - Sept 2015.jpg 20 Fenchurch Street ('The Walkie-Talkie'), City of London [23]
2016 Hamiltons Architects Lincoln Plaza, Canary Quarter.jpg Lincoln Plaza,
Isle of Dogs, London [25] [26] [27]
2017 PLP Architecture Nova Victoria, 79 Buckingham Palace Rd, City of Westminster, London.jpg Nova Victoria, City of Westminster, London [29] [30] [31]
2018 BDP Redrock now completed (geograph 5774990).jpg Redrock Stockport, Stockport, Greater Manchester [34]
  • Pace Jefford Moore Architects for 20 Ambleside Avenue, Streatham, London
  • Boyes Rees Architects for Beckley Point, Plymouth
  • Rolfe Judd for Haydn Tower, Vauxhall, London
  • PRP Architects for Lewisham Gateway, Lewisham, London
  • Signature Living for Shankly Hotel, Liverpool [35]

See also

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References

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