Carbuncle Cup
Annual architecture prize given to the ugliest building in the United Kingdom
title: "Carbuncle Cup" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["british-architecture-awards", "ironic-and-humorous-awards", "awards-established-in-2006", "2006-establishments-in-the-united-kingdom", "awards-disestablished-in-2018", "2018-disestablishments-in-the-united-kingdom", "awards-established-in-2024", "2024-establishments-in-the-united-kingdom"] description: "Annual architecture prize given to the ugliest building in the United Kingdom" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbuncle_Cup" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Annual architecture prize given to the ugliest building in the United Kingdom ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox award"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Carbuncle Cup |
| awarded_for | Annual architecture prize given to the ugliest building in the United Kingdom |
| sponsor | Building Design (2006–2018) |
| The Fence (2024–present) | |
| year | (first run), (second run) |
| year2 | (first run), to present (second run) |
| :: |
| name = Carbuncle Cup | current_awards = | image = | caption = | awarded_for = Annual architecture prize given to the ugliest building in the United Kingdom | reward = | sponsor = Building Design (2006–2018) The Fence (2024–present) | presenter = | country = | year = (first run), (second run) | year2 = (first run), to present (second run) | website = The Carbuncle Cup is an architecture prize, given annually, originally by the magazine Building Design, and since 2024 by The Fence, to "the ugliest building in the United Kingdom completed in the last 12 months". It was intended to be a humorous response to the prestigious Stirling Prize,
History
First run (2006–2018)
The award was inspired by the Carbuncle Awards that Scottish architecture magazine Prospect (now Urban Realm), had been presenting to buildings and areas in Scotland since 2000.
The name derives from a comment in 1984 by Charles, Prince of Wales (now Charles III), an opponent of certain modernist styles and forms and a staunch defender of existing characterisations, themes and points of interest, who 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".
The cup was launched in 2006, with the first winner being Drake Circus Shopping Centre in Plymouth by Chapman Taylor. A shortlist was 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. From 2009 onwards, a small group of critics selected the winner. The original run was last held in 2018.
Second run (2024–present)
In 2024, Soho based magazine The Fence revived the award, with the first year's award being given for buildings completed since the last award of the original run was given in 2018. The judging panel for the 2024 awards comprised:
- Tim Abrahams (chair) – contributing editor, Architectural Record
- Vicky Richardson – FRIBA, architectural curator
- Cajsa Carlson – deputy editor, Dezeen
- James McLachlan – former editor, Icon
- Lucy Watson – commissioning editor, Financial Times
- Penny Lewis – lecturer, University of Dundee; co-founder of the Carbuncle Awards
- Charlie Baker – editor, The Fence
Winners and nominees
First run
::data[format=table]
| Year | Architect | Winning work | Nominees and works |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Chapman Taylor | [[File:Drake Circus Shopping Centre, Plymouth - geograph.org.uk - 1702249.jpg | left |
| Plymouth | |||
| 2007 | Stephen George & Partners | [[File:University of Leicester HWB and Opal Court.JPG | 130px]] |
| Leicester | |||
| 2008 | EPR Architects | [[File:Hôtel Radisson Saint Hélyi Jèrri Janvyi 2010 b.jpg | 130px]] |
| 2009 | Hamilton Architects | [[File:Leeds-Liverpool Canal - panoramio.jpg | 130px]] |
| Liverpool | |||
| 2010 | BFLS | [[File:Strata SE1 from Monument 2014.jpg | 130px]] |
| 2011 | Fairhurst, Chapman Taylor and Wilkinson Eyre | [[File:MediaCityUK, July 2016 (02).JPG | 130px]] |
| Salford, Greater Manchester | |||
| 2012 | Grimshaw Architects | [[File:Cutty Sark 26-06-2012 (7471553602).jpg | 130px]] |
| Greenwich, London | |||
| 2013 | Stephen George & Partners | [[File:Unbridled facadism, Caledonian Road, N7 (geograph 5265516).jpg | 130px]] |
| University College London | |||
| 2014 | Sheppard Robson | [[File:Woolwich Central Tesco.jpg | 130px]] |
| Woolwich, London | |||
| 2015 | Rafael Viñoly | [[File:Walkie-Talkie - Sept 2015.jpg | 130px]] |
| 2016 | Hamiltons Architects | [[File:Lincoln Plaza, Canary Quarter.jpg | 130px]] |
| Isle of Dogs, London | |||
| 2017 | PLP Architecture | [[File:Nova Victoria, 79 Buckingham Palace Rd, City of Westminster, London.jpg | 130px]] |
| 2018 | BDP | [[File:Redrock now completed (geograph 5774990).jpg | 130px]] |
| :: |
Second run
::data[format=table]
| Year | Architect | Winning work | Nominees and works |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | title=Broadway Malyan and ISG Lime Street scheme wins revived Carbuncle Cup | url=https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/broadway-malyan-and-isg-lime-street-scheme-wins-revived-carbuncle-cup | website=Architects' Journal |
| Liverpool, 2018 | |||
| :: |
References
References
- Watson, Anna. (22 July 2010). "Six in race for Carbuncle Cup". bdonline.co.uk.
- "RIBA Stirling Prize". RIBA.
- Urban Realm. "The Carbuncle Awards 2005".
- 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".
- Dyckhoff, Tom. (10 January 2007). "The malling of our cities". The Times.
- "The Carbuncle Cup 2024".
- (13 October 2006). "Bottom of the barrel – Carbuncles 2006". bdonline.co.uk.
- (5 October 2007). "Scars, blots and eyesores". bdonline.co.uk.
- (3 October 2008). "Who will get the wooden spoon in BD's Carbuncle Cup this year?". bdonline.co.uk.
- (20 May 2013). "Are these the UK's worst buildings ever?". bdonline.co.uk.
- Watson, Anna. (19 August 2009). "Cesar Pelli's One Park West building fights Carbuncle Cup nomination". bdonline.co.uk.
- Baillieu, Amanda. (28 August 2009). "Liverpool Ferry Terminal wins Carbuncle Cup 2009". bdonline.co.uk.
- (5 August 2009). "Carbuncle Cup 2009 longlist unveiled". bdonline.co.uk.
- Woodman, Ellis. (13 August 2010). "Strata tower wins 2010 Carbuncle Cup". bdonline.co.uk.
- 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.
- (29 August 2013). "Carbuncle Cup winner 2013: A triumph for the dark side". bdonline.co.uk.
- (19 August 2013). "Carbuncle Cup 2013 shortlist revealed". bdonline.co.uk.
- (3 September 2014). "Carbuncle Cup 2014 winner announced". bdonline.co.uk.
- (28 August 2014). "Carbuncle Cup 2014 shortlist announced". bdonline.co.uk.
- "London's Walkie Talkie judged UK's worst building". BBC News.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2015 shortlist unveiled". bdonline.co.uk.
- "Hamiltons seeks planning for Tower Hamlets tower".
- "Carbuncle Cup 2016 winner announced". bdonline.co.uk.
- "Lincoln Plaza luxury Docklands flats win Carbuncle Cup". BBC News.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2016 shortlist unveiled". bdonline.co.uk.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2017 winner announced". bdonline.co.uk.
- "London's Nova Victoria crowned UK's ugliest building". BBC News.
- (6 September 2017). "'A bright red preening cockerel': Nova building crowned UK's ugliest".
- "Carbuncle Cup". Building Design.
- (November 2018). "Carbuncle Cup 2017 shortlist unveiled". Building Design}}{{Dead link.
- "Winner of 2018 Carbuncle Cup announced". bdonline.co.uk.
- "Carbuncle Cup 2018 shortlist unveiled". Building Design.
- "Broadway Malyan and ISG Lime Street scheme wins revived Carbuncle Cup".
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