London's Nova Victoria crowned UK's ugliest building

6 September 2017

News image — Nova Victoria has won the dubious honour of being the UK's worst new building of 2017

Dominic Lipinski Nova Victoria — Nova Victoria has won the dubious honour of being the UK's worst new building of 2017

A London office block described as a "bright red hideous mess" has been named the UK's worst building.

Nova Victoria, London won the 2017 Carbuncle Cup with one judge describing it as "cringe-worthy".

It is the sixth consecutive time a London building has scooped the dubious honour run by Building Design Magazine (BD).

Architects PLP described the £380m office complex as a "distinct and architecturally daring" building.

But judges disagreed, describing the building as "crass, over-scaled and a hideous mess".

BD Nova — PLP described the £380m office complex as "distinct and architecturally daring"

Judge Catherine Croft said: "It makes me want to cringe physically. It's a crass assault on all your senses from the moment you leave the Tube station."

David Rudlin said the red cathedral like spire on Nova South was a particular cause for concern.

"It's got the same proportions as Salisbury Cathedral. For me the spire gives it carbuncular status - otherwise it's just a bad building", he said.

The development, which occupies a whole city block near London's Victoria station, consists of two office buildings designed by PLP Architecture and a residential building designed by Benson & Forsyth.

The title was awarded to PLP Architecture for the office buildings.

The other buildings on the 2017 Carbuncle Cup shortlist were as follows:

Preston Railway Station Butler Street Entrance by AHR
Greetham Street Student Halls, Portsmouth by Cooley Architects
Extension on 8 Somers Road, Malvern, Worcestershire by Vivid Architects
Circus West, Battersea Power Station, London by Simpson Haugh
Park Plaza London Waterloo by ESA Architecture

BD Circus West — Circus West, Battersea Power Station was shortlisted for the 2017 award

Building Design started the award in 2006 as a "light-hearted way of drawing attention to a serious problem - bad architecture blighting the country's towns and cities".

Past winners have included Liverpool's ferry terminal, the renovation of the Cutty Sark and an apartment block incorporating a branch of Tesco in Woolwich, south-east London.

Readers put forward the nominations and a panel draws up the shortlist.

PLP said it did not want to comment on the announcement.