A Walthamstow building has “missed out” being crowned one of the ugliest buildings in Britain.
Known as the wooden spoon for architecture the Carbuncle Cup was scooped by 20 Fenchurch Street better known as the Walkie Talkie building in central London after an unanimous decision from judges.
Judge Ike Ijeh said the Walkie Talkie was “a gratuitous glass gargoyle graffitied onto the skyline of London,” while Eleanor Jolliffe described it as a “Bond villain tower, as it could melt your car with a solar beam from space”.
The extension to the Waltham Forest YMCA in Forest Road was shortlisted in the final six in the run up to the awards.
Designed by Robert Kilgour Architects, the building will be used to house the new gym and other facilities.
Nominator Mike Duriez said: “Unfortunately this building has more in common with a detention centre than the public face of an organisation that exists to help disillusioned homeless young people.
“The sheer awfulness of this project is heightened by the presence of the Georgian villa next door which is also occupied by the YMCA.”
Spearheaded by the Building Design magazine, the awards reveal Britain’s ugliest buildings.
Others up for the award included Woodward Hall in North Acton, the City Gateway in Southampton and the Whittle Building at the University of Cambridge.
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