An Edinburgh building has been named as being 'the ugliest in the world'

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Much-maligned Capital building is crowned as the ‘biggest eyesore’ on the planet

Edinburgh is renowned the world over for its beauty – but it’s also home to the ugliest building in the world, according to Twitter users.

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Buildworld curated a long list of buildings from around the world, the UK and the US that are often said to be ugly.

It identified all the design-themed tweets about these buildings on Twitter.

A building in Edinburgh has been named as the ugliest in the world, according to data from a building materials store.A building in Edinburgh has been named as the ugliest in the world, according to data from a building materials store.
A building in Edinburgh has been named as the ugliest in the world, according to data from a building materials store.

The team used a sentiment analysis tool called HuggingFace to analyse the percentage of tweets that were negative about each building’s design.

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It was revealed that the ugliest building in the world is right here in the Scottish capital as the Scottish Parliament building took the top spot – with 42.07 per cent of tweets criticising the design.

Newport Station in Newport came in at second, while Preston Train Station placed third on the list. Royal Liverpool Hospital and the MI6 Building in London completed the top five.

Buildworld writes: “Opening three years later than planned and four years after the death of its architect, the Scottish Parliament Building leads the list of global buildings considered to be awful.

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“The project was unpopular from the start, as a national building designed by a foreign architect that quickly spiralled ten times over budget and way beyond its deadline.

“The building looks out of place in the Scottish landscape, apart from its unwelcoming entrance, which is ‘dark and gloomy, particularly in our climate’ and ‘feels like a cave’, according to former MP and chair of Glasgow’s Festival of Architecture and Design, Des McNulty.

A spokesperson for Buildworld said: “The architects behind the world’s biggest and boldest buildings usually have a point to make.

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“It might be a point about aesthetics, engineering or money. It might be about the architect’s religious devotion or their own genius.

"Whatever the point, the worst thing that can happen is to be ignored. For many architects and developers, to be boring is a greater sin than to be ugly.

“But when a building turns out ugly, it’s the passers-by who pay the price – locals and tourists alike.

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“You can’t hide an ugly building. Instead, divisive architecture calls attention to itself daily, fuelling debate, mocking its critics with its immovability.

“After all, a building isn’t just about the statement but about the passion behind it and the details of the work.”

The 10 ugliest buildings in the UK (Buildworld)

Scottish Parliament Building (Edinburgh)

Newport Station (Newport)

Preston Train Station (Preston)

Royal Liverpool Hospital (Liverpool)

MI6 Building (London)

One Hyde Park (London)

Bridgewater Place (Leeds)

Redcar Beacon (Redcar)

Balfron Tower (London)

Shankly Hotel (Liverpool)

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