What do you think are some of the ugliest buildings in singapore?

For me these are some of the ugliest:
-Old HDB flats esp. those in very old housing estates (eg:marine parade, queenstown)
-Ayer Rajah Telecoms Tower
-OCBC centre
-Temasek Tower
-Hilton Hotel
-Golden Mile complex (one of most ungliestand rundown)
-The concourse (also very ugly)
-People's park centre
-Some shopping centres like Metro are very ugly too

There are many more but these are some of them I can think now. They should really renovate these buildings.

Straits Trading

Straits Trading

Oh yeah! That building is really ugly.

Can you guys post pictures of some of these buildings ? I wanna see ! :D

http://www.streetdirectory.com.sg/buildings/049910_main.jpg

http://www.streetdirectory.com.sg/buildings/049910_right.jpg
Straits Trading


http://www.streetdirectory.com.sg/buildings/069534_main.jpg
Ocatgon

http://www.streetdirectory.com.sg/buildings/048695_main.jpg
Grand Building, looks like a jail

Peace center got to be the biggest eyesore in singapore.. the only highrise in the area due to its proximity to the istana, and damn.. its so old and run down.. should tear the building down.. or at least the residential high rise part of it..

Whats wrong with Straits Trading Building, it looks okay to me.:)
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/7513/i7ushineold.jpg

There's only one.......... Esplanade.

-Some shopping centres like Metro are very ugly too



Didn't know of any Metro that occupies 1 whole building.

Hilton didn't look that bad in the 70s actually. Will try to find that old postcard.

Didn't know of any Metro that occupies 1 whole building.

Opps! I meant Far East shopping centre. I got mixed up.

Whats wrong with Straits Trading Building, it looks okay to me.:)
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/7513/i7ushineold.jpg

To me the reason why the building looks so ugly is because the windows can't be seen. It looks like an old-style HDB flat where there are long walkways. The building also looks kinda weird because the lower floors looks very modern but the upper levels look very ugly. The building is not even painted!

I think it doesn't look all that terrible, but when you compare it with the beauties that surround it...... well, let's just say the poor fellow looks somewhat humbled....

I think the density of the area works to be an advantage to the STB. Because all the other buildings are so close to it, the only way to view it is up close, and within such close proximity, you get a very sharped-angled and perspective view of it, making it more dramatic and enhances its appeal. The horizontal lines make it even more bold.

The only bad thing about it is the tumour on top.:D

There are numerous ugly ones facing Ann Siang, and Tian Hock Keng row...
Fortunately are rather out of view...

The first building in the picture has a modern bottom, but the top is pretty ugly!

Only if it were glass too, the building would be a beautiful addition to the city ! :D

I'd rather not comment on the second and third building ! ;) !

But overall, Singapore is a very beautiful place!

There's only one.......... Esplanade.

It's not that ugly la (on its own... But, it's a bit "obscene" from some other angles, when the Swissotel / some other buildings is between the two "durians") :laugh:

A maintenance nightmare, most probably...

It's not that ugly la (on its own... But, it's a bit "obscene" from some other angles, when the Swissotel / some other buildings is between the two "durians") :laugh:

A maintenance nightmare, most probably...

In my book, its butt ugly in every sense. Some here can testify how revolting I find that piece of crap. I'm not only talking about how it looks on the outside.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/2/9sgpano2.jpg
Golden Mile Complex... :puke:

Looks like slums on a hill!

There's no denying the absolute disgust that stems from that repulsive monolith.....

In my book, its butt ugly in every sense. Some here can testify how revolting I find that piece of crap. I'm not only talking about how it looks on the outside.

Hmmm... come to think of it... is ugly... and it costs taxpayers alot of money... :tongue3:

http://img70.exs.cx/img70/916/y3j20020721155427aa.jpg

Haha...the new supreme court might be on my most ugly buildings lists very soon! :D

Interesting that we dont mention Pearl's Apartments as much as we used to. the Octagan dosent look that bad, btw. It is plenty of much uglier cousins nearby!

Wing On Life is pretty horrid.

I dont even know how it looks like.

http://img110.exs.cx/img110/2040/2003_1107_124426AA.jpg
By hyacinthus. It is the building beside the one with the UOB logo. The one with zigzag lines on the outside.

It isnt that ugly, not exactly nice, but unique!

something like the old SIA Building

Interesting that we dont mention Pearl's Apartments as much as we used to.

Knowing aesthetics is highly subjective but I really don't know what's wrong with that.

Knowing aesthetics is highly subjective but I really don't know what's wrong with that.
Poor maintenance on the exterior in particular, and how strangely lots of folks didnt know it has a rather nice interior? :D

Ugly?

http://img156.exs.cx/img156/6128/ugly1ic.jpg

I think it looks nice. The skyscraper that looks rather distracting to the Sg skyline is the BOC, IMO ;)

Bank of China? the white building?

yeah..I don't dig the windows :D

oh..but then its not very noticeable, being blocked by Maybank Tower :cool:

Ugly?

http://img156.exs.cx/img156/6128/ugly1ic.jpg

You must be kidding. That's one of the most, if not the most gorgeous building in the entire Orchard area.

How come so many government buildings built in the 1970s and 80s are Brutalist?
Looks 'powerful'? :lol:

You must be kidding. That's one of the most, if not the most gorgeous building in the entire Orchard area.

I have to agree. it looks absolutely stunning. More so than those skinny brats down the corridor anyway, like the Phoenix Hotel...

hmmm.....I find the Esplanade avant-garde......I wonder why some people says its ugly. Although it might cost Singapore a lot of money.....but its role in stirring up the arts scene is unmeasurable ;)

Wing On Life is very retro IMO.......if people all around the world starts demolishing such 50s and 60s kind of building......I believe many would regret later on :(

I also find PearlBank Apts nice ........perhaps it needed a new paint job :D

Ugly?

http://img156.exs.cx/img156/6128/ugly1ic.jpg


I'll have to see this building in its entirety to judge.........but in this picture it doesn't looked too pleasing to the eyes :D

It is definitely better than the 4 or 5 storey buildings in the Orchard Emerald row!

Its typical of its era - the brutal concrete look..it has a swimming pool on top :cool:

I wonder why on earth is there a swimming pool...

建筑师林少伟：地标建筑变“纸尿片”
● 蔡孝欣

吴新慧

　　它们在上世纪70年代称得上是新加坡城市景观的代表作，但如今这些建筑却成为我们城中一道碍眼的“风景”。

　　像坐落在美芝路的黄金地带购物中心（和合大厦），它在30多年前很前卫地打破了高楼方方正正的设计，成为美芝路和尼诰大道上的一座地标。不过如今，该建筑独特的轮廓已经被改建的阳台和窗户弄得面目全非，放眼望去只见这琐碎零乱的建筑结构，看起来像是闹市中的贫民窟。

　　还有牛车水珍珠坊。它在几年前翻新时被漆上了不太搭调的橙绿色，引来一些争议和诟病。

　　这两座建筑，无独有偶，都出自本地著名建筑师林少伟之手。林少伟自己受访时，也大喊痛心。

　　他认为，问题的根源除了建筑保养缺乏协调规划外，也因为我们的美学品味太差。他无奈地用“纸尿片”来形容新加坡业主对建筑物“用过即丢”心态。

　　他受访时说：“我们对建筑物经常是毫不犹豫地说拆就拆，再不就是为所欲为地对待它们，至今没有一个能从纯美术角度思考的委员会来对建筑物的外观与保养给予必要的指导。所以，我们的城市文化及以美学为标准的文化一直还很落后，没人要管，也没有人认为它们是重要的。”

　　林少伟对建筑物的外观与保养作出如此严厉的批评，并非只是眼见自己一手设计的珍珠坊及黄金地带购物中心今天已走样，而感到失望和痛心，而是因为新加坡整体上对待建筑物的态度还没上轨道。

　　早期建筑维修的管制条例不明确也是建筑物外观走样的一个原因。以黄金地带购物中心为例，管委会在受询时解释说，这是由于大厦早期由发展商管理，当时管制建筑外观的条例并不明确，因此难以执行。

　　它说：“当管委会后来成立时，许多改建工程都已完成，有关条例已很难派上用场了。”

　　当然，改善建筑物外观需要取得所有居民的共识，这项任务并不容易。住在14楼的杨姓家庭主妇就指出：“这里有这么多个单位，每个人品味都不同，要从何着手？”她和该大厦大多租户和居民一样，都对外观给予负面评价。还好大厦靠近市区，而且内部设施的维修做得不错，所以一般也没有太多怨言。

　　黄金地带购物中心一家船务公司工作的陈巧婵说：“当初看到这栋大厦时感到不大舒服，以为里面很脏。但搬进来后就发现没什么特别，最重要是地点好，而且从这里看出去的风景很美。”

hmmm... I posted this already leh...

here... http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=3293867#post3293867

Edit: HW has kindly removed the post for me :)

Where?:eek:
http://img158.exs.cx/img158/6915/kallang1reduced7bz.jpg
Golden Mile, butt ugly...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/redstone2/gmc.jpg

Built in 1972 by Design Partnership, the Golden Mile Complex at Beach Road was originally known as the Woh Hup Complex. This "city" of layers is a sloping 16-storey mixed-use complex. I370 shops, 500 parking spaces and offices, come together in an agglomeration that is interspersed with naturally ventilated interstitial spaces connecting the various parts together.

The complex was the first here to adopt stepped terracing in order to cut down noise pollution and to reduce the impact of its scale from the busy Nicoll Highway. It affords the apartments and offices an unobstructed panorama of sky and sea and adequate terraces for developing small sun-lit gardens. On the northwest side, the stepped form allows the floor above to shield those below from the high temperatures of midday sun. Passing through the Nicoll Highway, right after the Merdeka Bridge, it is hard to miss the stepped terrace; it looks like a hill cut out diagonally to harness the energies of the sun. A closer look reveals that indeed, each floor does achieve equal amount of sunlight. The original open balconies however, have been altered considerably. A certain sense of chaos now seems to explode from the balconies with an array of ad hoc, add-on roofs of different materials. A place for plants inside an open balcony is reduced to potted shrubs dotting a narrow space, like some outcasts outside the windows.

A totally different scene awaits one at the corridors of the residential units from the 16th storey downwards. Time seems to pause, observing port-hole windows, sauntering along deserted corridors and descending stairways. Entrances of some units can be seen to have 'implanted' figments of their idiosyncratic taste in the form of granite, lion statuettes, and gold trimmings, totally ignoring the original port-hole windows and unpretentious ceramic tile flooring.

Descending the diagonal stairways at northwest side reveals the intentions of the architect. Each descend, which is aligned to shade the floor above from the sunlight, leads to the roof of the podium block - a very wide multi-purpose space bounded with chain-link fencing. Originally designed as a space for recreational and communal use (it still has markings of a badminton court) that allowed mutual surveillance from the apartments above, thus surpassing sense of community/communicability in Corbusier's roof terrace at the Unite d'Habitation. Now this space is desolate. Its ancestry however is traced not to the Unite but to the "vast corridor", a semi-public space of the Japanese Metabolist movement, which were assigned the role of connectors between public and private areas. These experiments included those of Kurokawa and Kikutake on the problems of group dwellings or mass housing in treelike, slablike and layered mass housing were known to the designers of the Golden Mile. Obviously, some form of importation of ideas from Singapore's outside has occurred.

Just below of this vast corridor are offices ranging from law firms to import/export traders. They are set against criss-crossing staircases and corridors. Like a sundial, tall columns and stepped staircases cast shadows during the day in this interconnected space.

The void that penetrates through the building was designed to bring sunlight from the 'vast corridor' to the shopping area below. Because of fire safety requirements, the void is covered by a lightweight angled metal roof, cutting off all natural light to the hustle and bustle of the shopping below. Penetrating this separator, one is in the shopping zone. Once in the shopping arcade, the atmosphere changes drastically. This is now yet another site of importation. The amazing shopping area teems with a life that makes one think one were in Thailand. For the grocery shops, hawker stalls, coffee bars, barbers, to even a supermarket, are largely patronised by the transient Thai workers in Singapore. Even the signages are in Thai. Passing through grocery stores that sell all kinds of meat, vegetables and preserved food and the ever-present smell of lemongrass becomes quite a feast to the senses. Restaurants offering authentic Thai food (probably prepared by Thai cooks) are located right at the front next to travel agents and moneychangers. There are also several major bus companies offering a wide range of bus routes to all parts of Peninsular Malaysia up to northern Thailand. As a site of embarkation to the lands up north, it is also a site of disembarkation for foreign incursions into Singapore from the north. What is foreign serves to disrupt the boundaries of the resident. Identities, cultures in the broader sense are negotiated and sometimes threatened.

But for all the incessant strains of Thai music, and the continuous hum of native Thai; it takes just one ride up the lift through that thin metal layer, to change all that. It is remarkable that, this single architectural element separating the otherwise continuous atrium space potently sets up an acute sense of duality; functionally, experientially and ideologically between the above and the below, the north and the south. Ironically, this segregation of the upper areas from the shopping areas also ensures that the Metabolist dream remains unfulfilled.

Golden Mile, butt ugly...

Understatement of the century. The thing is an eyesore! The bane of all humanity!

That thing is not ugly to begin with. Its filled with humanity and became ugly. So who's to blame? Yea, we humans........

Gotta get some close-up shots of this masterpiece-turned-rubbish...

/me likes Golden Mile Complex ^^

OK, you can throw stones now ;-)

No, I'm sending over a glass of Tiger to you for being brave enough to say that. I like it too. Beats spikey glass roofs anytime!!!

http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/data/tn_pcd/19980000769-7736-3282-3481/img0028.jpg
Found a side-view pic from the 1980s.
Wish could find old pics of the rear...

http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/data/tn_pcd/19980006563-8105-3181-0771/img0004.jpg

Golden Mile tower is the ugly one on this pic ^^ They did a good painting job on it !
Some painting and a proper landscaping would also help Golden Mile Complex, I guess :-)

/me drinks his Tiger ^^

http://img218.exs.cx/img218/5761/goldenmile2fc.jpg

:eek2::eek2::eek2:
:puke::puke::puke:

I guess it does have a certain charm to it. But please clear up the mess on the front that makes it look like it was recently gutted by a fire....

It looks like a slum in a building. :eek2:

I'm sure nicholasliha will like it for the evocative scenes that will provoke! :happy:

If any future development rises at Repubilc Avenue, people better have shades on the side facing Golden... :lol::jk:



Lucky no buildings at the ugly side...

... they better demolish both Golden Mile Complex and Tower ... then there would be enough space for the relocated NHWY station ...

It really looks like a slum!!!

I'm surprised that BCA hasn't stepped give the amount of illegal works done. Just because it looks like a slum now doesn't mean that it has to go. I can think of at least 5 buildings around that area that have to go just because they are an eyesore.

Golden Mile is mentioned in this article in BT.

Eng Cheong a good collective sale model

11 Jan 05

In principle approval from SLA to top up leases can help push en bloc sales and thus save the city of many eyesores, writes KALPANA RASHIWALA

THE recent sale of Eng Cheong Tower, the first collective sale of a 99-year leasehold property, has not only set a precedent for more en bloc sales of such properties but can also be used as an urban redevelopment strategy, say market watchers.

http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2005-01-11/110105_krcollect_pg30.gif

What facilitated the $47.5 million sale to United Overseas Land and Low Keng Huat was an unprecedented decision by the Singapore Land Authority to grant in-principle approval to top up the lease of the site from the remaining 65 years to the original 99 years. In the past, SLA had processed requests for lease upgrading only on formal application, which requires more detailed submissions and takes a longer time.

'Developers would not take the risk of buying Eng Cheong Tower, which has 65 years unexpired in its lease, for redevelopment and sale,' said Foo Suan Peng, executive director of Knight Frank who was involved in brokering the deal.

'If left alone, such buildings on sites with leases diminishing with each passing year, will depreciate in value, leaving their owners with little incentive for upgrading the properties. They may deteriorate into urban blight,' he added.

One solution could be for the government to step in and acquire such sites. 'But then again, compensation is always a thorny issue and land acquisition by the state seldom leaves property owners happy,' he noted.

By securing SLA's in-principle nod for a lease top-up, a developer can enter more confidently into a deal to buy such a site, although the land premium for the lease upgrade will still be finalised by SLA only later.

'The precedent set by Eng Cheong Tower can be used as a template for a national urban planning policy to prevent urban deterioration as the lease nears expiry and, at the same time, help rejuvenate the city,' said Mr Foo.

Such a strategy allows the market to decide when and how redevelopment should take place, with the state playing a supporting role, in terms of processing applications for upgrading the lease and redeveloping the site. Other examples of ageing leasehold properties are Golden Mile Tower and Golden Mile Complex along Beach Road, near Eng Cheong Tower, and Pearl Bank apartments in Chinatown.

More choice sites facing similar circumstance that could potentially become collective sale candidates include Grangeford, Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre and Orchard Bel-Air in the prime districts 9,10 and 11, and Mandarin Gardens and Bayshore Park along the east coast.

Like Eng Cheong Tower, all these properties were built on 99-year leasehold sites sold by the government starting from the late 1960s.

SLA has also been studying for sometime the issue of what to do with properties with dwindling leases.

Usually SLA processes requests for lease upgrading only on formal application based on the merits of each case and the government's long-term plans for the area, among other factors. And typically, market watchers note, SLA may approve applications to upgrade leases of sites slated for redevelopment.

Property consultants say that provisional permission from the Urban Redevelopment Authority for a redevelopment would normally have to be backed up with supporting documents when making a formal application to SLA for a lease upgrade.

In the case of Eng Cheong Tower, only an outline planning permission (a more preliminary approval) for a redevelopment of the property had to be submitted to SLA to support the in-principle application of the lease top-up.

While the collective sale for Eng Cheong could in theory still have taken place had all the parties involved taken the normal route of a formal application, this would have complicated the sale process and taken a longer time, said S K Phang of Phang & Co.

He submitted the application for in-principle approval of the lease upgrade to SLA on behalf of Eng Cheong Tower's collective sale committee.

One scenario would be for property agents to get a collective sale agreement from owners controlling the requisite minimum 80 per cent of share values and then find a buyer for the site.

A conditional sale and purchase agreement deal would then be entered into, hinging on formal application approval to top up the lease. 'If SLA gives the formal approval, then the deal goes ahead. If not, all the time and effort spent would have been wasted,' said Dr Phang.

Of course, owners themselves can proceed to make a formal application to SLA to secure its approval for a lease top-up before they find a buyer. A seasoned property consultant said that making a formal application for a lease upgrade to SLA requires more details about the proposed development which can only be furnished by the actual developer of the site.

Getting in-principle approval for a lease upgrade as in the case of Eng Cheong Tower is a much tidier process, said Dr Phang.

'And this opens up a whole new avenue for collective sales of 99-year leasehold sites. Let's just say that some people are working very hard on potential deals.

'Where properties have en bloc possibility - like redevelopment potential and an attractive enough premium to the owners in terms of what they can pocket for their properties through a collective sale versus selling them individually, the diminishing lease term is no longer a hindrance for a collective sale,' says Dr Phang.

Knight Frank's Mr Foo says that one factor that could hold back collective sales of such properties would be loss cases, involving owners who bought their properties at toppish prices.

All collective sales which don't have owners' unanimous approval are subject to the approval of the Strata Titles Board, and loss cases would be grounds for dissenting owners to block a sale, say market watchers.

And the loss cases are more critical in the case of a 99-year leasehold property than a freehold one as in the former case, the value of the property depreciates with each passing year because of the dwindling remaining lease term. 'So even if there' s a substantial collective sale premium, it may not be enough to offset the loss cases,' says Mr Foo.

'Perhaps one way for the authorities to take a more proactive approach to spur the redevelopment of ageing leasehold buildings would be for URA to give some incentive like a plot ratio enhancement or better still, bonus plot ratios exempt from payment of development charges, to help mitigate losses,' suggests Mr Foo.

The approved maximum plot ratio for a site specifies the maximum gross floor area that can be developed on it.

Jones Lang LaSalle and CB Richard Ellis were also involved in the sale of Eng Cheong Tower.

A night pic on the street side:
http://membres.lycos.fr/pengui/ssc/050219_golden_mile01.jpg

picture very sharp leh... :)

Yep. Can nearly see inside the apartments on the original one ^^

Actually I like the street side leh. :D Can someone make a close up shot of the slums? I have been wondering why it looks burnt!

The view from the back is much better than the front! :cool:

It looks great with the blue lights, looks modern. It actually looks like a nice place to live.

Houses to consider so far:
Textile Centre
Goden Mile Complex
:D

^^
I can tell you're very impressed with Textile Centre :yes:

Yes. The back is very nice.

Textile's inside is so ugly...:eek:
I can't imagine having a room with an internal window...

I only like the inner corridoor of textile centre loh...

Textile Centre used to look much much uglier before it was repainted :puke:

Textile's inside is so ugly...:eek:
I can't imagine having a room with an internal window...

Interntional Plaza is like that too.:(

Is it? They have nice exterior windows also what...in fact, the view is fantastic!

The interior atrium of International Plaza looks way better than Textile Centre's

Oh well.....do we have visual representation of it? Mine is all gone as usual...

unfortunately no pics..no view from the atrium either -_-

Zaobao (22/2/05) Translation of Forum Reply

Architects' creativity not stifled
URA and BCA have jointly replied to an earlier ZB's article, "Architect Lim Siew Wai: Landmark Buildings Turned into 'Disposable Diapers' published on Feb 13.

The reply stated that in general, the government strives to strike a balance between regulating buildings for safety and functionality reasons, and giving designers, developers and owners sufficient flexibility to decide on the design, aesthetics and colour scheme of buildings.

URA does provide urban design guidelines for the Central Area and for other key development areas and sites, but leaves aspects such as the aesthetics and colour scheme of buildings unregulated. URA takes great care to ensure that designers' creativity is not unduly stifled, and is also actively promoting architecture and urban design excellence through exhibitions, publications, public lectures and design competitions. URA's efforts at creating an awareness and appreciation for good design, aesthetics and quality in building development will also help to generate greater demand for these attributes among purchasers and building owners.

Over time, this will raise the general standard of building design and maintenance. For strata developments, the current Land Titles (Strata) Act already empowers management corporations (MCs) to regulate any proposed works that can affect the building facade. This clause has been retained in the new Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act, based on the feedback that MCs would like to continue to have a say on the aesthetics of their developments which can have a bearing on the property value.

What a typical govenment reply. Its not answerging the question! :D

Agree... had some experience with SPF... wasn't happy with their reply too.

Hmm...swimming pool on a power building. To zap ppl to death for eating snake?

^

:lol:

btw I made a thread for The Ansley in the world forum and some people said it makes them feel sick!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/ansleybig.jpg

pic by redstone

Muahaah....blame the bad and unflattering photo! :D

LOL

Well, it does look like a kind of 21st Century Pearl's Hill apartment :cool:

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/5034/gmcp8wi.jpg
Stadium and slum.... :D

Bump. :D

Seems like a sudden interest in slum-like buildings. :lol:

02.08.08 Pearlbank now has 0% signed for collective sale !

Any future attempts to en-block must follow the new October 2007 guidelines.

I love the old HDB flats. These buildings have great history in them. They once solved the housing problems of singapore. Now that alot of them are being demolished (infact most 1960-70s HDBs are gone already. Only a handful remains at Queensway, Toa Payoh, just to name a few), i feel a sense of sadness to see these once a precious house to most singaporeans in the past being demolished without a trance.

Anyway, the building i find an eyesore is non other than Peace Centre. Both the interior and exterior is just crap. Theres nothing i can hate more than its toilets. I wonder if there is any maintenance. It just smell horrid. The interior also feels rather cramped.

The bldg is subjected to a unique regulation cos of its close proximity and direct views of the Istana. So, all of the windows have to be blocked out at the back.

Older HDB estates comprised of flats that had undergone Main Upgrading Programme. They looked very classy after they were upgraded. But as soon as some of they were repainted, they just looked messy. The colour patterns are just messy and they do not match at all.

Some colour schemes are horrible, like those at AMK Central.. and one batch opposite AJC which was painted in harzard colours. Yellow and orange with columns diagonally stripped

The once at Upper Aljunied Road (Joo Seng) near Mount Vernon is so glaring. It's bright red and orange, which is so painful to the eye. Which makes me wonder, who decides these colour schemes???? I know that residents are able to vote on a number of options, but who comes out with these horrible schemes in the first place?

Some colour schemes are horrible, like those at AMK Central.. and one batch opposite AJC which was painted in harzard colours. Yellow and orange with columns diagonally stripped

Bukit Panjang here also have. The only 30 storey buildings here were once painted in blue and slight purple colours. Now its just plain milk and beige colour. An ugly sight, really ugly.:ohno:

The once at Upper Aljunied Road (Joo Seng) near Mount Vernon is so glaring. It's bright red and orange, which is so painful to the eye. Which makes me wonder, who decides these colour schemes???? I know that residents are able to vote on a number of options, but who comes out with these horrible schemes in the first place?

AMK Central's in dark red, peanut butter brown and white. How ugly can that get? Maybe only beaten by Hong Lim Complex, painted in bluish white and white, in a grid pattern. :nuts:

Some in Hougang are worse.

I think the Golden Mile Complex has a lot of potential and I think it would be a real shame to see it knocked down. It reminds me of The Brunswick Centre in London, which has just undergone a major refurbishment. It used to look pretty shabby but in my opinion looks great now:

http://www.cityofsound.com/photos/uncategorized/dsc03703.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1109/1039692630_44e3b52ac0.jpg?v=0

Clearly the Golden Mile Complex is built using some similar ideas as the Brunswick Centre, albeit on a bigger scale. I think it would be a shame to lose this unique piece of architecture.

I just found this interesting page about the Golden Mile Complex, which makes me even more want it to be kept:
http://proconservation.blogspot.com/2007/09/of-golden-mile-complex.html

^^

Thats an interesting site! I think that although in its present state the building exudes a certain 'vibe', architecturally its quite interesting and in its time was considered to be a very forward-looking building. Ideally it would be nice if a developer managed to buy it over, perhaps top up the remaining lease and apply for conservation. The building can then be retrofitted, cleaned up and jazzed up. Somewhat like the old Cathay apartments. With a name like "Golden Mile" they could try for the glam factor too :cool:

Anyway here are some nice pics taken from this site (thanks to Mav for sharing the link, the photographer is amazing):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/archisculpture/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3155/2795480417_5f3cc89bbb.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2128/2795478739_fcb7298139.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3069/2795476865_6b4050fd08.jpg?v=0

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/redstone2/gmc.jpg

this really looks ugly!

Are those Thai apartment units? I understand Golden Mile is where Thai people meet here in Singapore.

They congregate mainly at the main entrance and within the shopping centre inside, where there are several shops catered to Thais. Stepping in there gives one the feel of being in Bangkok.

Some buildings by Tang Guan Bee look too colourful and chunky

^^

Any examples of that?

I used to think this building was ugly. However I've changed my mind. It looks even more slick and futuristic after its recladding, despite being at least 30 years old. Maybe in 10 years time it should apply for conservation status. Its certainly more unique than many newer buildings.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/sp.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/sp2.jpg

most of the tall residential developements coming up in/near the city are hideous. they all look ok in rendering, but when completed, they all look cheap and plain, with no efforts put into their finishings at all. most of them sport plain cement facads that will not age beautifully.

for eg...

* Citylights
* (this 3-tower development near little india)

^^^ the above 2 are perfect candidates for "pearl apartments" of the future. they're both huge n hideous.

duxton plain may potentially fall into this category too...looks pretty in rendering, but from the looks of what we see now, i dont know what to say.

the newton/novena areas has much better full-glass facade condos.

90% of all singapore condos look more or less the same. Cubic with bay windows and corner bay windows, units in cluster style.

Before you read this, please bear in mind that this is my personal opinion, and I have no intention to hurt or make anyone here feel offended. Should you feel insulted or offended after reading this post, I sincerely apologize :)

most of the tall residential developements coming up in/near the city are hideous. they all look ok in rendering, but when completed, they all look cheap and plain, with no efforts put into their finishings at all. most of them sport plain cement facads that will not age beautifully.

I cannot help but to agree and disagree with your comments. As a resident of Citylights itself, I agree that Citylights facade is plain with just white painted concrete. But, take a closer look, and see that it actually has protruding sunshades that are painted black that contrasts against the white painted concrete. Also, the windows and planter areas are "mixed", in the sense that they are randomly placed.

for eg...

* Citylights

^^^ the above 2 are perfect candidates for "pearl apartments" of the future. they're both huge n hideous.

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. You may find Citylights hideous, which is okay, since you have stated your reasons. However. I can't help but feel insulted about your comment that Citylights woudl be the "Pearl Bank Apartments" of the future. What do you mean by this? Have you been to the future? I hope you know that some of us here at SSC are owners of units at Citylights, too.

duxton plain may potentially fall into this category too...looks pretty in rendering, but from the looks of what we see now, i dont know what to say.

I have to agree with this. Pinnacles looks plain with a white facade and mish-mash of windows all over the place. But I believe it will look better with more plants and some black paint as in the rendering, that hasn't been done now.

the newton/novena areas has much better full-glass facade condos.

You mean so long as a condo is full glass, the finishing inside is better than one with less windows and uglier facade? I think that a development has to have a good mixture of half height and full height windows for it to look good.'

this really looks ugly!

Are those Thai apartment units? I understand Golden Mile is where Thai people meet here in Singapore.

Like Lucky Plaza is to Filipinos and Peninsula Plaza to the Burmese.:)

Anyway, the building i find an eyesore is non other than Peace Centre. Both the interior and exterior is just crap.

Agree that its main frontage is totally uninspiring and banal. However since its recent paint job, its rarely-seen rear facade actually takes on an interesting, 'monolithic' appearance.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3002/2986679770_2378feaf79_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3276/2986679878_78fc6e9309_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3172/2985824011_cb3f5bdf4e_o.jpg

It's a unique, almost unknown "law" that apparently no buildings nearby can have a direct view of the Istana. Ironically there are highrise condos at Clemenceau, just outside the Istana plot. Not sure about these though.

As far as I know, buildings which have a direct view and thus need to have their windows blocked are Peace Centre, KK Hospital, the flats at Farrer Park, the old Cathay, flats above Tekka Market and that condo beside the CTE with out of place "sunshades" at the top levels.

What do you think are some of the ugliest buildings in singapore?

For me these are some of the ugliest:
-Old HDB flats esp. those in very old housing estates (eg:marine parade, queenstown)
-Ayer Rajah Telecoms Tower
-OCBC centre
-Temasek Tower
-Hilton Hotel
-Golden Mile complex (one of most ungliestand rundown)
-The concourse (also very ugly)
-People's park centre
-Some shopping centres like Metro are very ugly too

There are many more but these are some of them I can think now. They should really renovate these buildings.

I still feel that some of these old buildings should be preserved and kept.
Nowadays, everything is too glassy and superficial.

For instance, what's wrong with Hilton Hotel?
Places like Golden Mile and People's park may seem 'ugly' but there is some unique architectural marvels in there. They should be renovated and updated constantly, but they shouldn't go. It's too precious.

^

:lol:

btw I made a thread for The Ansley in the world forum and some people said it makes them feel sick!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/ansleybig.jpg

pic by redstone

It's quite nice! :D

Places like Golden Mile and People's park may seem 'ugly' but there is some unique architectural marvels in there. They should be renovated and updated constantly, but they shouldn't go. It's too precious.

People's Park has recently had a new coat of paint I believe, and looks fresher. It was last repainted around 2005 in the same colours, when the giant lettering was added.

It was one of the first land sale sites here, and it was one of the pioneers of the shopping mall concept in Asia it seems.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2432/3832959917_ff7df6fb25_o.jpg

^^ Yes, Giant Carrot Building shall now be known as Giant Corn Building.

Corn? LOL

The building that I've heard described as a corn is the Swissotel, when seen at night :-)