Dezeen Magazine

Architects vote to find Britain's worst building of the year


Dezeen Wire:
British architecture magazine Building Design has invited the public to nominate the worst buildings constructed in the UK in the last year for the seventh annual Carbuncle Cup award.

Already on the list is restored tea clipper the Cutty Sark, which was widely criticised when it was completed back in April, but the favourite is the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the 115 metre-high bright red sculpture at the London 2012 Olympic park.

The deadline for nominations is 13 July.

Here's the full press release and details of how to vote:


Carbuncle Cup 2012
The award for Britain’s worst new building is back!

The UK’s leading architecture newspaper BD invites the public to put forward their worst new building for this year’s Carbuncle Cup.

Nominations are already pouring in from disgruntled architects and local residents. The list includes several high profile schemes including the renovation of the Cutty Sark and one of Prince Charles’ pet projects.

But the hot favourite is one of the most controversial projects of the 2012 Olympics - the ArcellorMittal Orbit tower by artist Anish Kapoor and engineer Cecil Balmond.

Each week, one nominated building will be published on Bdonline – visit www.bdonline.co.uk/carbunclecup to see them all.

The nominations that receive the most support in the comments section will automatically make the shortlist which will be revealed on July 20th. A final winner will be chosen by public vote and a jury of built environment specialists led by BD’s executive editor Ellis Woodman.

“BD’s annual Carbuncle Cup offers the British public the chance to voice their distress at shoddy architecture, venal development and feckless planning,” said Woodman.

“The ever-growing support that the prize receives suggests the UK still has a long way to go before the quality of its built environment meets its citizens’ aspirations. Until that happy day, the Carbuncle Cup will be there to name and shame the worst offenders.”

Any building completed within the past 12 months or due for completion by the 2012 Olympics is eligible and anyone can nominate by sending in a short paragraph about the building to [email protected]. The deadline for nominations is Friday July 13th.