Carbuncle Cup
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 is intended to be a humorous response to the prestigious Stirling Prize,[2] given by the Royal Institute of British Architects.[3]
The cup was launched in 2006, with the first winner being Drake Circus Shopping Centre in Plymouth by Chapman Taylor.[4] A shortlist is 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. Since 2009 a small group of critics has selected the winner.
The award was inspired by the Carbuncle Awards of Scottish architecture magazine Urban Realm, formerly Prospect, had been presenting to buildings and areas in Scotland since 2000.[5]
The names derive from a comment by Charles, Prince of Wales, an opponent of certain modernist styles and forms and a staunch defender of existing characterisations, themes and points of interest, who in 1984 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
Year | Architect | Winning work | Nominees and works | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | Chapman Taylor | ![]() |
Drake Circus Shopping Centre, Plymouth[8] |
|
2007 | Stephen George & Partners | Opal Court, Leicester[9] |
| |
2008 | EPR Architects | ![]() |
Radisson SAS Waterfront hotel, Saint Helier, Jersey[2][10] |
|
2009 | Hamilton Architects | ![]() |
Liverpool Ferry Terminal, Liverpool[11][12] |
|
2010 | BFLS | ![]() |
Strata SE1, Elephant & Castle, London[14] |
|
2011 | Fairhurst, Chapman Taylor and Wilkinson Eyre | MediaCityUK, Salford, Greater Manchester[15] |
| |
2012 | Grimshaw Architects | ![]() |
Cutty Sark Renovation, Greenwich, London[17] |
|
2013 | Stephen George & Partners | ![]() |
465 Caledonian Road, University College London[19] |
|
2014 | Sheppard Robson | ![]() |
Woolwich Central, Woolwich, London[21] |
|
2015 | Rafael Viñoly | ![]() |
20 Fenchurch Street ('The Walkie-Talkie'), City of London[23] |
|
2016 | Hamiltons Architects | ![]() |
Lincoln Plaza, Isle of Dogs, London[25][26][27] |
|
2017 | PLP Architecture | ![]() |
Nova Victoria, City of Westminster, London[29][30][31] |
|
2018 | BDP | ![]() |
Redrock Stockport, Stockport, Greater Manchester[34] |
References
- Watson, Anna (22 July 2010). "Six in race for Carbuncle Cup". bdonline.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
- "Who will get the wooden spoon in BD's Carbuncle Cup this year?". bdonline.co.uk. 3 October 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
- "RIBA Stirling Prize". RIBA. Archived from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
- Dyckhoff, Tom (10 January 2007). "The malling of our cities". The Times. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
- Urban Realm. "The Carbuncle Awards 2005". Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- Glancey, Jonathan (17 May 2004). "Life after carbuncles". The Guardian.
- "A speech by HRH The Prince of Wales at the 150th anniversary of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Royal Gala Evening at Hampton Court Palace". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
- "Bottom of the barrel – Carbuncles 2006". bdonline.co.uk. 13 October 2006. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
- "Scars, blots and eyesores". bdonline.co.uk. 5 October 2007. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
- "Are these the UK's worst buildings ever?". bdonline.co.uk. 20 May 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- Watson, Anna (19 August 2009). "Cesar Pelli's One Park West building fights Carbuncle Cup nomination". bdonline.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
- Baillieu, Amanda (28 August 2009). "Liverpool Ferry Terminal wins Carbuncle Cup 2009". bdonline.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2009 longlist unveiled". bdonline.co.uk. 5 August 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
- Woodman, Ellis (13 August 2010). "Strata tower wins 2010 Carbuncle Cup". bdonline.co.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
- Woodman, Ellis (1 September 2011). "MediaCityUK wins 2011 Carbuncle Cup". Building Design.
- Wainwright, Oliver (22 July 2011). "Bloated icons and dreary sheds go head to head in the race for the Carbuncle Cup". Building Design.
- Woodman, Ellis (13 September 2012). "Cutty Sark Renovation". Building Design.
- Woodman, Ellis (22 July 2012). "Carbuncle Cup 2012: the shortlist". Building Design.
- "Carbuncle Cup winner 2013: A triumph for the dark side". bdonline.co.uk. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2013 shortlist revealed". bdonline.co.uk. 19 August 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2014 winner announced". bdonline.co.uk. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2014 shortlist announced". bdonline.co.uk. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- "London's Walkie Talkie judged UK's worst building". BBC News. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2015 shortlist unveiled". bdonline.co.uk. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
- "Hamiltons seeks planning for Tower Hamlets tower". Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2016 winner announced". bdonline.co.uk. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- "Lincoln Plaza luxury Docklands flats win Carbuncle Cup". BBC News. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2016 shortlist unveiled". bdonline.co.uk. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2017 winner announced". bdonline.co.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- "London's Nova Victoria crowned UK's ugliest building". BBC News. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- "Carbuncle Cup". Building Design. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2017 shortlist unveiled". Building Design. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
- "Winner of 2018 Carbuncle Cup announced". bdonline.co.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2018 shortlist unveiled". Building Design. Retrieved 30 August 2018.