Carbuncle City

What does England's most hated building look like?

Reading the headline 'England's most hated building to be demolished' I was intrigued. What monstrosity has been singled out as the structure that inspires universal nationwide revulsion? The tower at Colliers Wood perhaps? The Elephant & Castle shopping centre? Maybe the controversial Centre Point tower?

But no - drum roll please… the most hated building in the country is in Bournemouth. The Imax building, a relatively modern glass block, opened in 1998 and promptly caused an outcry with its undulating roof and poor placing which meant it blocked views across the sea to the Purbeck Hills.

This got me thinking about all the crimes against construction that have been committed in London lately. One particularly irritating example immediately springs to mind - I walk past it every morning. When the Swiss Centre in Leicester Square was pulled down we rejoiced - that 1960s block was always a bit of an eyesore. But in its place is emerging something that looks less a phoenix and more like a turkey.

Perhaps the promised "shimmering frosted glass facade" will add some glamour to the rather bland office block currently taking shape. No sign - as yet, anyway - of the "eye-catching" complex containing a hotel, restaurants, casino, shops and luxury flats, which "will quietly glow to match the sort of spirit of the West End's illuminations".

Did you know there's even an annual award for this kind of thing, comically called the Carbuncle Cup. I can happily nominate several other contenders for the London regional semi-finals of the cup. Not least No 1 Poultry, its construction a double tragedy because of the beautiful Mappin and Webb building it replaced. One commentator described it as "one of the most heinous acts of architectural vandalism ever to be committed in London". Ouch.

The Trellick Tower in West London - a virtual warzone in the 1980s - and one of the best known examples of 1960s Brutalist building in London has been both loved and hated in equal measure. Currently a one-bed flat will set you back £250,000 proving that it is now a highly desirable place to live - even once-ugly blocks can become beautiful over time (and providing the anti-social behaviour has been stamped out).

It's over 20 years since Prince Charles made his famous 'carbuncle' speech, launching a scathing attack on modern British architecture in general, and slagging off the proposed extension of the National Gallery in particular. And he's still at it today. Just last year he stepped in to put a stop to plans to erect a modern block over Chelsea Barracks and the historic Christopher Wren designed home of the Chelsea pensioners. A carbuncle averted.

Sure, there are some howlers in London's architecture, modern blocks that blot the cityscape. But there are some truly inspired buildings too - and not just the historic types. Take the Laban Dance Centre, worth making the trip to Deptford for, the building won the RIBA 'building of the year' award and won the Stirling Prize for the building in 2003. Its Swiss architects, Herzog & de Meuron, were also responsible for the Tate Modern conversion from disused power station to the mighty turbine halled national art gallery - there's bricks and mortar that'll make you gape in awe.

Awards for Avatar

The silver screen offers the ultimate in escapism as the Golden Globes and Sundance Film Festival took place across the pond this month, ahead of our own BAFTA awards ceremony scheduled to take place on Sunday 21st February. In the running for best film at the BATAs is James Cameron's 'Avatar' which won both Best Motion Picture and Best Director at the American awards. 'Up In the Air' starring George Clooney and 'Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire' are nominated for best film at both the US and UK awards. With the Oscars taking place a month later on 7th March there's plenty of red carpet glamour to brighten up these cold January days.

Make Pictures, Not War

This month saw a gathering of photographers in Trafalgar Square. Nothing unusual in people taking pictures of one of London's best known landmarks you may think. But this group of camera toting snappers took to the streets in defence of photography. In light of the increasing number of high profile cases where photographers have been detained under section 44 of the terrorism act they felt it was time someone took a stand using the slogan: "I'm a photographer, not a terrorist!"

ICA to Shut by May?

The Institute of Contemporary Arts could be forced to close down by the end of May because of a growing financial predicament according to The Guardian who saw minutes of a staff meeting, compiled informally by staff. Founded in 1947, the ICA has been an important art establishment in London but has recently suffered not least because of the recession. If the gallery and arts centre is to survive a staff bill of £2.5m will have to be cut by £1m, Ekow Eshun, director of the gallery on the Mall since 2005, explained.

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