The modern urban metropolis is one of humanity's greatest achievements, and architecture its most important part. The world is now littered with cities boasting over a million people. As generations pass, people migrate to cities in increasing numbers. Issues like energy consumption, environmental protection and controlling unsightly sprawl come to the fore, and understanding how cities grow and change is of monumental importance.
Growth means the addition of new architecture, and we should all be active participants in shaping the character of our home. Browse any bookstore, and you'll see that identifying buildings of great beauty is easy. Finding the unspoken eyesores in cities with seemingly untouchable reputations is hard.
Show us the buildings that compel you to ask, "what were they thinking?!" We want to know about uniquely unattractive structures occupying the public environment—office towers, condominiums and major institutions that you feel deserve a failing grade. We're not looking to identify urban decay or anything that may have at one time been beautiful. We want to see colossal failures of taste, yesterday, today and tomorrow. We're creating a book that will feature these eyesores, and encourage greater care and attention to the places in which we live and work. We can't do it without you. Since we're from Toronto, Canada, this is where we'll begin. But no city will be immune. Think there's nothing ugly about Paris? We'll find it. New York? Absolutely. City after city until the job is done. This is not about an elitist faction attacking what may be near and dear to the hearts of citizens the world over. It will be up to you, the city dweller, to decide.
Stage 2/ Vote on photographs we've taken of the nominated buildings.
Stage 3/ We'll compile a book from the results of the vote. Your choices of the ugliest structures will be photographed with stunning elegance, and paired with architectural details, wit and criticism to match. uglytoronto will be the first book in what we hope will be an ongoing series. It's worthy to note that the book will not be ugly, nor is the implication that the city itself is ugly. Beautiful photography and detailed descriptions will let these monstrosities speak for themselves.
uglytoronto will be the first book in what we hope will be an ongoing series. It's worthy to note that the book will not be ugly, nor is the implication that the city itself is ugly. Beautiful photography and detailed descriptions will let these monstrosities speak for themselves.