Architects Defend the World's 'Most Hated' Buildings

Not every building can be a winner, and some buildings that aspired to greatness fall short in public esteem. Yet maybe some of the buildings that world loves to hate deserve a second look.

1 minute read

June 7, 2015, 1:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Tour Montparnasse

anshar / Shutterstock

Alexandra Lange shares the thoughts of seven of the world's leading architects asked to defend the "world's most hated buildings." The question explored by the exercise: "Can the field’s top minds change the way we think about a doomed housing project in Naples or the most abhorred skyscraper in Paris?"

The cavalcade of equivocations features Daniel Libeskind, on behalf of Tour Montparnasse in Paris, France; Zaha Hadid, on behalf of the Orange County Government Center in Goshen, New York; Annabelle Selldorf, on behalf of the Empire State Plaza in Albany, New York; Ada Tolla, on behalf of Vele di Scampia in Naples, Italy; Norman Foster, on behalf of the Tempelhof Airport in Berlin, Germany; Amande Levete, on behalf of the BT Tower in London, United Kingdom; and Vincent van Duysen, on behalf of Centre Pompidou in Paris, France.

Friday, June 5, 2015 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

March 9 - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation