By BRIAN RUDMAN
The former Air New Zealand building on Queen Elizabeth II Square remains one of Aucklanders' favourite ugly buildings.
But the results of the Herald readers' poll are far from clear- cut - ugliness, it seems, is in the eye of the beholder.
The Sky Tower, for example, has many detractors,
but it also has its admirers and those in between - such as Fiona Wells, who admits that "the casino springs to mind, although the Sky Tower part has grown on me."
However, some buildings are friendless. From as far afield as Fukuoka, Japan, comes the message: "The ugliest building in Auckland has to be Auckland Central Police Station." That from Bryan Gilberd, at the Haki Board of Education.
The Aotea Centre is in the same unloved category. Grahame Thorne, former All Black turned Marlborough winemaker, disparages it as being of the Stalinist impressionist school of architecture.
Other popular contenders for the ugly list, in no particular order: Auckland Public Hospital, Bledisloe State Building, Force Entertainment Centre, Auckland University physics building (corner of Princes and Wellesley Sts), Royal SunAlliance Centre, Shortland St, and Union House, Quay St.
Some random comments:
"The Herald's office building, in particular the reporters' wing. Do you need to be so negative? Get some pride in Auckland and ask the public to vote for the best building, or does everyone at the Herald like depressing news and articles?" - Lawrence Sumich, Sumich Architects.
"I work in that seven-storey Stalinistic state extruda-form of concrete edifice on the corner of Princes and Wellesley Sts ... the 70s Wellington state architects expressed their contempt for their nation through the infliction of this architectural cruelty. These buildings are expressions of hatred." - Edwin Rogers, University of Auckland.
"That horrible AMP tower. It must not go ahead." - Annette Mitchell.
"121 Newton Rd. On what could be renamed Ugly Boulevard, this monument to bad taste stands out for uninspiring lines and tacky plastic siding. I think it's an apartment building, but what lurks inside its faux-village facade can only be imagined." - Andre Taber.
"The screamingly crass retail development at Albany. Its ugliness is emphasised because it sits between the beautiful Massey University complex and the inspiring North Harbour Stadium." - Chris Raynes.
"The dreadful Imax structure facing the elegant Town Hall. It looks like a missile launching pad." - Mary Woodward.
"Undoubtedly the ex-Union Company Building, Quay St, Auckland's permanent reminder of a teenager smiling and flashing the braces to straighten his or her teeth. Ugh!" - P. Drucker, Paihia.
"The Aotea Centre appears to be an unfinished project. Its outline seems dumpy enough to be the foundation stone for a superb building that is yet to be erected ..." - Alec Sinclair.
"What about the Royal SunAlliance? What the heck is that tilted halo on top? An ultrasonic searchlight for aliens or an emblem of the architect's ego. Ugly, or just another downright silly piece of rubbish on our skyline?" - Mark Kirby.
"The 'suburban Tokyo-style' structures being erected between Oteha Valley Rd and Spenser Rd, Albany. The kind of building where if you use the remote control to turn on your TV, you will also turn on your neighbour's." - Robert Freeman.
By BRIAN RUDMAN
The former Air New Zealand building on Queen Elizabeth II Square remains one of Aucklanders' favourite ugly buildings.
But the results of the Herald readers' poll are far from clear- cut - ugliness, it seems, is in the eye of the beholder.
The Sky Tower, for example, has many detractors,
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