The Zit Building Award

Anniesland College (Glasgow)

This monstrosity has been built behind Kelvin Court, an art deco development from the 20s, it is in an area which has many listed buildings (along with a few other questionable ones built in the 60s)new developments, it is on the outskirts of the trendy west end and only 15 minutes on the train from Glasgow City Centre. They knocked down a red sandstone victorian building in order to build this blue box and I honestly have no idea why. I know its a college and they get things through planning that others wouldnt, but honestly a new high tech college building which was aesthetically pleasing as well could have really improved an area that was already on the up. I just do not understand why this was allowed! Oh also did i mention that it is huge?
Nominated by: eye sore

Antonine Centre (Lanarkshire)

Area: Cumbernauld
Reason: This big aircraft style hanger of a "shopping centre" was a real missed opportunity to re-invent Cumbernauld Town Centre. It's not very pleaseing to look at, it's half empty and has failed to attract much in the way of new revenue or new retailers into Cumbernauld. The council were well warned about progressing with it, but still persieved it to be in Cumbernauld' best interests...real waste of time, effort and money.
Nominated by: Alistair

Bridgemill Flats (otherwise known as the maggot) (Scotland)

Area: Nairn, Scotland
Reason: The building isn't even finished yet. Dismally cheap and utilitarian four-storey blocks of flats, built as a result of some squalid trade-off between planners and developers obliged to deliver an affordable housing quota. Not just a missed opportunity, but a blight on one of the most attractive sites in the town. Looming right beside the river Nairn and thus blocking the view towards the harbour and Moray Firth, these grey blocks have destroyed the vista and prevented the creation of riverside walks and paths in what is at present largely a green area. To add insult to injury, the building is right alongside the access road to the beach and caravan park used by thousands of holidaymakers. And this eyesore is right at the eastern entrance to the town, beside the bridge on the main road along which all travellers and visitors pass daily. What a disastrous and cynical development in what was, and should be, an attractive visitor destination. Nominated by: Archie Tect Nairn needs to keep up with the times, modernisations are needed to survive, now get off your high horse and keep up, they are looking fantastic now and are gonna look great when finished
James

Calderdale High School (Lanarkshire)

Area: Airdrie
Reason: A rancid architectural monstrosity, serving the purpose of containing the equally scummy local neds (and a small number of intelligent pupils) during the day. The landscape around it smitten by its hideous presence, it continues to induce misery in those unfortunate enough to approach it. Nominated by: Miserable Airdrieonean what a ledgendary school, we might learn in huts but we have good fun. sexy dan What a School! It's excellent and the teachers are top dollar! :D Simon It is also rat infested and normally smells of urine.
Pupil

Ceres Primary School (Scotland)

Area: Ceres, Fife
Reason: Ceres Primary school does not fit in with the image of a village-no matter what the architect or council think! and is justly a worthy contender for the Pock Mark Award. Just to illustrate a point I've picked out a couple of statements from the design statement in which the Council seem oblivious to the fact that we are a rural area, the residents have not been consulted & the project definitely does not provide a new forward looking community focus for the residents of Ceres in a contemporary but respectful manner!

1. Fife Council have carried out close consultation with a number of local stakeholder groups during the design development of this project. Pupil involvement,The School Board, The Parent Council, Local Councillors. 
2. Issues and concerns raised during these meetings have been, where possible, integrated into the proposals to ensure the local community develop a sense of ownership with the project.
   
3. Context. Ensure that the proposals fit naturally with the urban context of the surroundings.
   
4. Historical Fabric. The concept allows the opportunity to provide an insertion in line with the existing urban fabric and streetscape of Schoolhill. The proposals allow the opportunity to rationalise this and provide a new heart to the school whilst instilling a new sense of identity.
   
5. The contemporary design approach adopted allows for a new forward looking focus for the community to be developed whilst proposing to give the school a sense of place in the community.
   
6. Extensive pre-application discussions with all parties have resulted in proposals which satisfy the needs to the school in terms of facilities, meet the tight budgetary constraints of the client and provides a new forward looking community focus for the residents of Ceres in contemporary but respectful manner.

Nominated by: Tony Martin

This building is not going to fit in with the rest of the village but more importantly than that it is an ugly building in its own right.
Niall Martin

the village of ceres deserves a lot better than a box of timber stuck thoughtlessly on the side of old stone built building in listed grounds resident of ceres 100% agree with the comments so far. The design is not in keeping with street or indeed, the rest of Ceres. Adding a timber clad box to the gable end of a grade B listed building does not make any sense. The school desperately needs an extension, but not one that will be, in my opinion, an eyesore.
Ian Brown

Further to the comments made by Tony Martin we would like to add our support. The school needs an extension but the exterior of this proposed building is completely out of keeping with this historic village. There are no timber cladded buildings in the village and we do not agree that this will weather well as the Council claims. It looks more like a cheap timeshare than part of an important public building in our lovely village. We as neighbours were not consulted. We should add that the original school building to which the extension will be attached is a stone built, Grade B listed, building!
Ann & Bela Simandi

Up till recently, I would have found it hard to believe that a Council would promote such ridiculous building design and materials for the extension to a category B listed building. However, the pendulum seems to be swinging away from buildings being designed in sympathy with their surroundings in favour of reproducing the latest architectural fads at all costs, in this case timber cladding, silly canopies, bits of flat roof, etc. Apparently, the design/materials are justified in a 'Design Statement' but such documents can be used to justify anything, no matter how inappropriate, whether in appearance or durability! Planners should be able to judge what is, and what is not, appropriate without the need for a Design Statement. Finally, may I add my support to the comments above which represent the 95% of the population who are not impressed by the blind application of current architectural fashion.
R Smith

Cromarty Firth Port Authority fishmeal shed (Highlands)

Area: invergordon Reason: as ABOVE Nominated by: WENDY CLARK

Highland Archives (Inverness)

Area: Bught
Reason: an inoffensive building in itself, but plonked in parkland in a prime site beside the river, with no regard whatever for the river or its site (and no public transport yet)
Nominated by: Jane Munro

Inverness Retail park 2 (Scotland)

Area: Inverness Reason: The Inverness Retail Park is the worst planning decision ever (strangely ignored by Carbuncle judges, who seem distastefully interested in kicking places like Airdrie and Coatbridge when they are down). The recent additions - including, er, a gym, add insult to horror. The car park is a vast windblown tarmac prairie covered in discarded Tesco bags. Coatbridge and Airdrie have suffered industrial decline - what's Inverness' excuse? Nominated by: DM Inverness's excuse is we have the local council who have invested 130.000 of our money in TESCOS then wonder why Invernessians complain when we get called TESCO TOWN. Carol Fraser The good thing in these comments so far is that they reveal how some folk care about Inverness and would like to see its appearance improved by better design and planning. The sad thing is that those - like the pseudonymous Frank Furter - who seek to justify the city's present appearance can only do so by insulting and criticising others who comment. Archie Tect DM, be brave enough to put your name up and stop hiding behind your initials. You really have no idea about planning laws, regulations or general architecture associated with shopping facilities do you...until such a time i think you should keep your nominations to yourself. As for you Carol Fraser....i dont know where you've got your figures from, but i laugh them down...truely clueless. Check your facts in future! Tim, the BT building is a 60's design, maybe you should respect that it is for BT to upgrade with the times? Frank Furter A worthy contender,most visitors approach Inverness from the South or East bringing them down the glorious Longman Road Industrial estate into a town with attractive features blighted by concrete monstrosities such as the BT building and the area near the shapla restaurent. The main shopping area is full of bollards and posts making it unpleasant to walk around, the castle as such cant be visited, lets not even mention the depressing retail parks,rubbish everywhere hidious housing estates popping up all over, has the potential to be lovely let down by greedy and inept town planners, hope it wins!! Tim Platt ,Inverness

Kingsmills Hotel Extension (Inverness)

You must see this one.Beautiful setting overlooking the golf course and beside four private bungalows.It is absolutely horrendous.Admittedly it is not yet complete.It cost I believe 4 Million.Square block building with flat roof and prison like windows on the front.I am sorry I can not put my name to this,but I feel very strongly about it.

Tesco Dingwall (Highlands)

This Tesco store is so large in correlation to the town centre of Dingwall that is seems to take over the whole town
Nominated by: Rene

The Monument (Glasgow)

Area: Gallowgate
Reason: A monumentally poor finish has left a skid mark streaked exterior for city centre pads that are less yuppie and more yukky Nominated by: CaltonKid Typical of Glasgow - put something new in and let it rot quicker than even the old buildings around it!! Grazer wtf! It looks like the building has shit itself.
Terry Thomson

Union Square (Aberdeenshire)

Completely pointless project that adds nothing except for increasing traffic congestion in an already congested area. Good old AberdeenCity Council Planners eh? The design is boring and unispired. A truely pointless and ugly building. Nominated by: Andrew A worthy contender. Newly open and widely acknowledged as a mistake ... and the new bus station alongside is not fit for purpose.
Debra Storr

A pointless paristitic development that reeks of low quality design and implementation.
Richard Pelling

Union Square is no more than a malignant growth on the fine facade of one of Scotland's more important railway stations. For decades, newcomers to the city couldn't find the station entrance; now, thanks to Union Square, the entrance is still a well kept secret, and one part of it is locked in the evenings. The development is not a destination other than for railway passengers, due to its unattractive location, and has the hushed atmosphere of a public library. Yet another example of Aberdeen's long, sad history of self-destruction.
andro

Utopia - Westpoint Homes (Glasgow)

Area: Pollokshaws Road
Reason: Absurdly named and the epitome of cynical contractor led design creating 'Luxury' Slums for a deceased buy-to-let market. Horrific details, over use of slap on metal cladding, ignorant street facade and generally an aborted, unfinished sprawl. Just another addition to horrific street frontage of other smeared, tatty developments that include last years Zit winner the Plaza, still to this day a barely occupied carcass.
Nominated by: Stewart Gibson

the southb side really sufers from some architectural nightmares.... The Plaza for sure and the New Victoria Hospital and what about Langside Colleges blitz on Battlefield do they rally think coloured infill panels can cheer us up with this rampaging monster that oversshados the terrace opposite and threatens to carry on straigyt across the main road... and... the new School on Netherauldhouse Road..awful more coloured panels again - Please give us a break from such incompetent design and lack of town and streetscape design
Bruce in Mt Florida