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Shengyang Fangyuan Makes CNN’s World’s 10 Ugliest Buildings List

by on Thursday, January 12, 2012 57 comments comments

From NetEase, Sohu, & ifeng:

CNN ranks the world’s top 10 ugliest buildings: Shenyang Fangyuan Building selected

A lifestyle and travel website owned by American Cable News Network (CNN) selected the top ten ugliest buildings in the world, with North Korea’s Ryugyong Hotel “ranked” at the top and Dubai’s Atlantis Hotel in second. Furthermore, the Fangyuan Building in Shengyang designed by renowned Taiwan architect C. Y. Lee was also selected.

1. Ryugyong Hotel (North Korea)

The Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea.

2. Atlantis Hotel (Dubai)

Atlantis Hotel in Dubai.

3. Palace of the Parliament (Romania)

Palace of the Parliament in Romania.

4. Zizkov Television Tower (Czech Republic)

Zizkov Television Tower in the Czech Republic.

5. Seattle Experience Music Project (United States)

Experience Music Project in the United States.

6. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (Vietnam)

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Vietnam.

7. Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral (England)

Metropolitan Cathedral in England.

8. The Portland Building (United States)

The Portland Building in the United States.

9. The Fang Yuan Building (China)

The coin-shaped Fangyuan Building in Shenyang, China.

10. Petrobras Headquarters (Brazil)

Petrobas Headquarters in Brazil.

Comments from NetEase:

警告你艹你没资格代表我 [网易湖北省武汉市网友]:

Doing a survey: Those who think the ugliest is Big Underpants [the Beijing CCTV Building], raise their penis.

吾在川上曰 [网易广东省网友]:

“Big Underpants” must be jealous of “Fang Yuan”!

警告你艹你没资格代表我 [网易湖北省武汉市网友]:

When I saw this news, the first one I thought of was also Big Underpants. At least in my opinion it is the ugliest.

楚门界 [网易广东省广州市天河区网友]:

The editor not including photos is completely for everyone’s benefit. When I went online to find a picture of Fangyuan, I vomited all over the floor!

网易上海市徐汇区网友:

For some reason I feel there are several that aren’t bad, or at least I’ve seen uglier ones.

网易浙江省杭州市网友 [银魂]:

However, CNN at the same time also said that because the definition of “aesthetics” is subjective, a more accurate description of this list should be the world’s top 10 “most controversial” buildings. Brother [CNN], don’t be modest, the Fangyuan Building is really ugly.

网易江苏省南通市网友:

Fangyuan is indeed ugly
and kitschy.
The Petrobas building is okay,
it can be swapped with Big Underpants.

网易湖南省长沙市网友 [stwolf]:

I think all of the ones on the list are actually okay, their designs are rather creative.

网易辽宁省沈阳市网友 [weangc]:

Have you guys been to Shenyang before? Do you guys know the Fang Yuan Building’s geographic location? Do you guys know why it was built in the shape of an ancient coin?
Fangyuan Building is in Shenyang’s Financial Development Zone, which is also Shenyang’s North Railway district—–
Putting [a symbol of] China’s ancient monetary culture in the financial development zone is good, the idea being that nothing can be accomplished without standards and rules.
It is because Americans don’t understand Chinese culture that they say this [say Fang Yuan is ugly]…

NEispassfortheignoble [网易河北省廊坊市网友]:

The only reason the Ryugyong Hotel takes the top spot is because its purportedly meant to be a middle finger raised at the United States, and all people from America stay there.

网易北京市网友:

I think these buildings are all rather good looking, they’re all not bad! Those so-called mainstream media, the moment they have some fame they start picking fault with others, using their own subjective aesthetics to put down everyone else’s aesthetics, what the hell~!

网易法国网友 [gaowei9327]:

This ranking doesn’t mean anything, the beauty and aesthetics of a building depends on culture, geography, race, country, civilization, history, and many other factors. You can’t make sweeping generalizations. For example, the Dubai one actually is very in line with their style, although the Shenyang one is truly really ugly. :(

What do you think are the world’s ugliest buildings?

  • Chinkicide

    My sofa is not on the list.

  • jiayi

    I’ve seen worse where I live. Thankfully my sofa is timeless and sexy as hell.

    • lonetrey

      too bad your sofa is not actually a sofa

    • Andy

      It takes balls to post a sofa comment – and fail !

  • Mr.M.Walter

    “Doing a survey: Those who think the ugliest is Big Underpants [the Beijing CCTV Building], raise their penis.”

    LMAO, this one is good

  • lonetrey

    TBH, I think #2,3,9,10 are ok-looking. Not sure why they’re hailed as the “Ugliest” buildings ever…

  • 山炮 ShanPao

    America’s news says so, therefore it must be true. What about the World Trade Centre memorial? The White House?

    • Brock

      Jeez wtf is wrong with you? The world trade center memorial hasn’t even been built yet and the White House is a classic greek-based design that is timeless, there’s nothing wrong with it.
      So would you only be happy if all 10 slots were taken up by American buildings? You’re an utter moron.

      Anyway, ignoring that trog for now. I actually like the Shengyang building, the Ho Chi Minh memorial is absolutely disgusting, a ton of breeze blocks, blugh.

      • shane

        Totally agree with you Brock. The person above has absolutely no idea what they are talking about, just blindly spitting bullshit.

      • 山炮 ShanPao

        World Trade Centre memorial – I think its ugly, so I said its ugly. Is that a crime? It may not be built yet, but its on its way and everyone has seen the plans to be a judge of it. You must be American, not able to accept another persons point of view other than the official American line. Americans/Chinese – whats the difference. Oh and here is another thing Americans are known for:

        “the White House is a classic greek-based design that is timeless”

        lol fucking lol – because Americans dont have history they think you can recreate history beautifully. Sorry, when that happens we call it ‘tacky.’ Try to build a hotel in 18th century Parisian style and it will be … shit. Try and build a hotel within a pre-existing 18th century structure in Paris – you might just pull it off.

        Now before you attack me again for having my own opinion or attacking the US media for telling you ass fuck Americans what you should and should not believe to be a shit building.. I recommend you flick through some of the great historical architecture of the world and then compare it to your own recreations. New money is new money. America has no class. McDonalds and the White House. MBYM.

        • JustABlackWoman

          Totally agree with you ShanPao and Im american. God forbid someone doesnt like something thats american based and people get all defensive.

          Anywho a majority of those buildings I wouldn’t call “ugly” but different and creative. Looks like it would take creativity and artistic skill especially number 2.

          God forbid something is different and not a tall straight skyscraper block.

        • Brock

          You’re a horrible, bitter, sad person. I’m not even American but your backwards, meaningless anti-american feelings disgust me. The country with the most buildings in the list is the USA and even that’s not good enough for you, you basically want the entire list to be full of American buildings due to your weird hatred of anything American or related to the “evil American media”.
          The world trade center memorial hasn’t been built yet (so obviously it wouldn’t be in the list dumbass) and the White House isn’t an ugly building by anyone’s standards so of course it wouldn’t be on the list.

          I fail to even see your point about historical recreations vs historical architecture. There are works of great architecture all over the world that use the ancient greek aesthetic, it was very en vogue at one time to do this. Even countries that you would lazily describe as “having history” have them. And what does “having history” even imply or mean? You say America has no class, does China? Does having “history” mean that a country has class? What a joke.

          Its sad that you can’t just be relaxed and serene inside and instead have to harbour such ridiculously misplaced anger towards a country. I was only planning to reply that I liked the Fang Yuan building but I couldn’t not reply to your hate-filled post clearly written by a very sad man who needs to get his priorities straight.

          • Young Man

            Chill baby, Chill.

            I’m not aware of there being a WTC memorial building yet- there’s a tree, mind. So the other guy’s way off and the rest of us can see it

            The White House, however, is nothing special- looks like a poor man’s St. Peter’s. Way to derivative for such an important building.

            And how did Scotland’s parliament stay off the list?

            Personally I think the Forbidden City is totally overrated- what colour are those walls? It’s like the same colour you get in a blocked urinal that lots of people have used- ‘strong piss orange’.

          • 山炮 ShanPao

            oh dear Brock. Looks like you just cant accept my opinion. Just because some people died there doesn’t mean I have to like its design. Am I sad am twisted because I don’t like some buildings in America? Does it mean I hate America and all that spawns from it? hmm.

            I was making a comment about perspective. Not what should be included on the list. Enjoy your day closet yank.

          • donscarletti

            His views on architecture make him “a horrible, bitter, sad person” who’s “backwards, meaningless anti-american feelings” disgust you?

            Wow. If this is how you argue architecture, I’d hate to discuss politics with you. Back off on the ad-hominem and discuss the buildings.

            Neoclassical architecture is neither Greek nor timeless, the view that it is tacky and overly ostentatious has been around since the style came into vogue in the 18th century. I personally like it, but if someone was to build something in that style today, it would be tacky as hell.

            I think the White House looks OK, but the WTC memorial with its crooked buildings and ugly paving definitely looks pretty bad from an architectural standpoint and those holes do nothing more than perpetuate bin Ladin’s actions and New York’s loss.

        • KaKa

          To a certain extent I rather quite agree with you ShanPao… which is why i am constantly amazed that a country with “5000 years of history” like China wants to knock down anything with a modicum of culture style or historical value and replace it with gaudy glass and metal monstrosities outlined with neon lights – and for that matter, i’m pretty sure China has its fair share of faux classical Greek, Roman, Baroque, etc architecture. . .

          Oh, loving the picture of Nelson as your Avatar… one might suggest using “arse-fuck Americans” as opposed to “ass fuck Americans”… in that way you not only highlight your general feelings to our American brothers, but also highlight their failure to differentiate between the body part and the half horse / half donkey animal.

      • markx

        Geez Brock, the yanks are touchy about this aren’t they?

        The Chinese statements up above show at least those guys have a good sense of humour! :-)

        • Brock

          What are you even talking about?

          • markx

            Aah, sorry mate, Australian slang.

            What I meant, good sir, is that Americans do not take kindly to any perceived criticism of their (self adjudged) advanced civilization.

            Furthermore, they see little humour in any situation or statement which may impugn the self-elevated status of their model society.

            It’d help to develop a bit of introspection AND a sense of humour.

  • DRAGNX

    This one deserves the first spot:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraj_Al_Bait_Towers

    • 404namenotfound

      Not sure if trollin, stupid, blind, doesn’t know shit about Architecture, or just an Arab hater

  • Miki

    I could understand if this were a list of the most controversial buildings, not ugly ones, because most of them are not that bad. The Portland building in particular has a nice streamline moderne feel, though they could have done more with the shapes.

    The Experience Music Project building is 100% horrendous, though. Cool on the inside, but it looks like a dead cow heart from without.

  • hanyucha

    I used to live close to number 4, Zizkov Television Tower (Czech Republic). If you look closely at the mid-section, you can see some big babies crawling up the side. From memory they were all different colours.

    It does call into question what we all find beautiful or ugly. Birmingham Public Library is a supremely ugly building which coined the term “brutalism”.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Paradise_Forum,_Birmingham_Library,_Chamberlain_Memorial.jpg

    However, when the council suggested knocking it down, and putting up a better looking one, everyone protested. I guess my point is, if we don’t have ugly buildings, then beautiful buildings will have nothing with which to be compared, and hence just become “normal” buildings.

    Wow! That sounds like a metaphor for democracy bleeding the ugly regimes out of the world. Long live the ugly!!!

    • typingfromwork

      It’s just the style of the time. See Leeds university Roger Stevens http://theculturevulture.co.uk/blog/people-and-places/spaces-and-places/. The people of the 70′s had just discovered the wondermaterial of “concrete” and they said- “Must. Build. Everything. With. It.” So many monstrosities from that era it’s not even funny.

      I personally think a nice lick of paint in multiple hues a la Centre Pompidou would do them a world of good- but then people will cry about wasted money and stuff. Plus paint on concrete may not work very well.

    • Young Man

      We had the same thing in Newcastle with the multi-storey carpark. It was a brutalist piece which played an important part in the movie Get Carter and then they knocked it down to make way for a fucking Tesco. Have you seen how ugly supermarkets are?

  • Rick in China

    This guy is loopy:
    “It is because Americans don’t understand Chinese culture that they say this [say Fang Yuan is ugly]…”

    It’s ugly because when people look at it they say “what the FUCK, that’s disgusting..”

    If you want to symbolize the ancient Chinese money, sure, but there would be more tasteful ways to do it. It has nothing to do with cultural understanding, it has to do with appearance and reaction. I can’t imagine many people look at that and go, “Wow, that’s an amazingly cool and beautiful design”. Those who do probably ride the bus and have rat whisker mustaches where they shouldn’t, don’t comb their hair or shower in the morning, and haven’t been within 100rmb transportation distance of their birthplace.

    • pervertt

      Agreed. A facade dominated by a square inside a circle is a bit tacky. And what would the feng shui experts say about it? A coin stood on its edge is unstable, no?

  • Foreign Devil

    I think that as a general rule. . when you try to build huge buildings into the shape of letters, characters, logos or common objects. the results are not good. Better stick to abstract and interesting geometry. The ugliest one there looks to be that Seattle music experience project which looks like a hunk of shapeless plastic garbage.

  • dim mak

    Kitschy is the right word. I’m all for whacky designs but building shaped like money kinda lacks subtlety.

    Seattle Experience Music Project = Blobs of modern art garbage

    Everything else looks alright

  • Jeffli

    This guy is loopy:
    {“”"“It is because Americans don’t understand Chinese culture that they say this [say Fang Yuan is ugly]…”

    It’s ugly because when people look at it they say “what the FUCK, that’s disgusting..””"”}

    NO…NO… I DISAGREE THEY SAY:-
    “WHAT THE FUCK, THAT’S FUCKIN’ DISGUSTING..””"”}

    response:-”In China we have a diffwent sistem” followd by cheesy grin.
    About as much aesthetism as a stone.
    5000 years of culture and history and still haven’t made it past watercolours and finger painting.
    No baroque, no renaissance, no classical, no romantic let alone modern and post modern Art movements – Naught! Nada!
    And we expect Chinese architecture to be better than a psychotics LEGO project! …….. meh.

  • http://candosino.wordpress.com terroir

    Whenever a list appears everyone takes pain to criticize it, and yet not other list appears. To that end I’d challenge the SMACKers here to make up their own list of “world’s top ten ugliest building”; because it’s your very own list, you get to select the nationality of your choice to dump upon. Go wild. Like a wild ape.

    Me, I’d just like to make a brief list of common household objects that should be turned into buildings. Since China is experiencing a building boom without much creativity and so have taken inspiration from things like bottle openers, pants, and that ancient coin thing with a hole in it, here are my picks:

    TOP TEN COMMON HOUSEHOLD ITEMS THAT SHOULD BE BUILDINGS:

    10. Watercooler – the penthouse elevator is a rising air bubble
    9. Salt shaker – because there should be a monument to the ingrediant that makes Chinese food taste good besides oil and MSG
    8. High heeled shoe – can charge tourists to ride the world’s longest escalator
    7. Television – on the tallest and widest erected building with a ratio of the classic 3:4, assign windows to each appartment to change color and flicker in order to make a low-resolution tv screen, unless you stand back several miles. Downside: people will always be standing outside your window, looking in.
    6. chamber pot – as a counterpiece to the toilet seat in the middle of Beijing
    5. purse – since money is so popular and so many Chinese men carry these anyways
    4. old-style clay pot – with the handle and spout coming out at odd directions. A classic.
    3. teapot – so Chinese. People indicate that they are getting off the elevator by tapping their fingers on the elevator table
    2. that ball on the end of a stick that seniors use to whack themselves with – just to explain what this common item actually does

    and
    1. feather duster – the ultimate Chinese symbol of hygene and discipline. A model standing upright in your city will remind children to obey their parents and study like soulless machinese as well as to serve as a symbol of anti-corruption. Because, you know, it works.

  • eattot

    4 5 6 7 9 ugly , others not bad, to my eyes.

    • markx

      Yea! 100% agree! …and for me 5, 6, 7 becomes 1, 2, 3 with 1 being a very clear winner!

  • dondon

    What do people know about art and what is art define it?, one might say its ugly and one might say its beautiful..

  • coala banana

    in my opinion none of them is ugly, except number 4 in czech republic…

  • Appalled@everything

    The other buildings in the shot of the Fangyuan building are not much better.
    I don’t know what’s so bad about the Fangyuan building itself though. After reading what the shape and structure is meant to symbolize/represent; it seems like actually a pretty good idea and not an ugly building at all.

    • mankouzanghua

      i agree. i like it as a single structure. it’s so different from any other building that it looks like it doesn’t belong in a city, though.

      my real problem on this list is the “Seattle Music Experience.” it looks like they forgot to pull the tarps off for the big reveal

  • whichone

    I think the only ugly one is the czech tv tower. The fangyuan building is certainly no beauty queen but tolerable.

    I think some of these are not judged on external aesthetics alone, for example, the Romanian parliament, I can see how it might be considered extravagant as a building for public servants, and therefore “ugly”.

  • typingfromwork

    These sure are some ugly ass buildings, though I’m not sure about the Romanian one. It’s certainly a modern take on the old classical style, not done very well, but not all that bad. If that building is considered ugly then you can definitely say that the Disney castle in California deserves to be on that list- it’s kitschy as hell, made out of concrete and looks nothing like any actual castle at all. I know it’s supposed to be all fantasy and all but what, the, fuck.

    Also the rides are shit. Should go to Alton Towers if you want real thrills. I suppose I did get to meet Mickey.

  • Misia

    Very questionable chart, in my opinion it’s:
    5, 10: ugly
    3, 4, 6, 8, 9: decent
    7: beautiful
    1, 2: really beautiful

    • Jack Fancy

      The tower in Czech is more fun when you get up close to it… you can barely see ‘them’ in that photo…best to google it to see what ‘they’ are.

  • Tim

    What I find funny is the comment “The only reason the Ryugyong Hotel takes the top spot is because its purportedly meant to be a middle finger raised at the United States, and all people from America stay there.”

    The Ryugyong Hotel never opened for business and probably never will even though an Egyptian contractor is supposedly working to finish the project now. Almost every Chinese gets it wrong when spouting off about global things.

  • whichone
  • XinXin

    Seen uglier. :P

  • Regina

    I don’t agree with the first three, but the others are truly monstrous.

  • pervert

    Michael Graves’ Portland Building isn’t all that bad. Some post-modernists would be quite happy to have it as a pin-up.

    My vote for ugly modern building would go to Frank O’Gehry’s squashed tin can that passes for an art museum in Bilbao.

  • nikolodian

    Ah memories-Can’t believe Shenyang’s coin-shaped building is famous. Lived in SY and passed that place many times on the way to the train/bus stations. Always wondered what it’s like inside…or is it just another empty ‘white elephant’?

    I don’t think it’s ugly, per se. That underpants one in Beijing the Chinese netizens kept referring to however is indeed another story.

  • Scott

    It could have been worse. Imagine if they
    caught these buildings without their makeup.

    I think the Portland building looks way better
    than “Big Underpants.”

  • ddd

    I only found 9, 5, and 4 to be ugly. The others looks fine.

  • Xiongmao

    I believe with the number of incredibly weird and ugly buildings in China and Dubai, those 2 countries could easily fill out the top 10 spots all by themselves. (although that cathedral is one mofo of an eyesore)

  • Dat Ankle

    Uh, I like the Atlantis Hotel and the Palace of the Parliament. Eh, I have seen worse looking buildings then these, none come to mind right now, but the Liverpool one reminds me of an alien space ship or something

  • Elizabeth

    Those CNN folks should take a look at some of Antoni Gaudi’s works.

  • too yellow

    If you want to see architectural monstrosities, just go to any American (well, Canada and UK would do too) college campus, and look at any building built between 1960 and 1975… Now that’s ugly. Then walk through the campus at night, and try not to wet yourself.
    Here some examples:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ss._Cyril_and_Methodius_University_of_Skopje.jpg
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Trellick_Tower2.jpg
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Uic_east_campus_spring.JPG
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbsdlSpA2GU

  • http://paulgillett.tk Paul

    The guys from CNN know fuck all.
    Some of these buildings are really cool!

  • http://www.sidonieyang.com Shawn @SIDONIEYANG

    Worshipping money is ugly… and isn’t that what the Fangyuan Building is about?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ben-Tolmatsky/100002004221716 Ben Tolmatsky

    Most of the buildings in Taiwan are ugly eye sores,especially Taipei 101…but new buildings are popping up rapidly,, thank goodness!

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