20 Fenchurch Street, a slightly concave mirror-like office tower in the UK capital, has been awarded the Carbuncle Cup after sunlight reflected from it melted parts of an expensive Jaguar parked below.
The award, given to architecture deemed ugly, hostile or otherwise bad, came with an affirmation that the skyscraper met every possible criterion for recognition.
Organized by Business Design magazine, the Carbuncle Cup is awarded by a panel of architecture critics who take into account comments sent in by readers. This year's prize went to the Walkie Scorchie by a unanimous decision of the judges.
One of them, Ike Ijeh, said City of London planners were as much to blame for approving what he described as "a gratuitous glass gargoyle graffitied onto the skyline of London" as the building's renowned Uruguayan architect, Rafael Vinoly.
"If anything summarizes what makes a building a Carbuncle, this is it," Ijeh wrote in an article on Business Design's website.
Judges complained that the top-heavy building, whose upper floors are bigger than its base thanks to its unusual flared design, was an eyesore.
See also a Vegas hotel whose similar design casts "death rays" at unfortunate poolside visitors below.
Photo: Reuters
