Ugliest Building Ever???

[martial76]

I have been watching this thing get built for the past several months. (drive by on the way to work every morn) I have watched this thing get more and more absurd looking with each passing day. this thing is supposed to be the Cleveland clinic for brain health... funny thing is, it makes my brain hurt just looking at it!

what do you guys think of this... whatever it is.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2591/3976478324_fc9b871a40_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2466/3975715753_bdb664b911_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3418/3976478372_cd025af6d1_o.jpg

[cherrym]

Wow, that is some seriously freaky building! I thought it had collapsed! I can't say I like it even though I like buildings that are out of the ordinary.

[Clark]

Wow, I could see this for some sort of an attraction to go to, but a brain clinic?

[lurkingshadows]

I thought it had collapsed as well. Very strange. I can't help think what it is going to be like on the inside with all the slanted walls and windows.

[martial76]

yeah... the thing is just an eye sore! here is what makes it even worse... obviously you can see downtown vegas behind it but, directly to the south of it is the county building... which looks like this:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3483/3976559631_3e968c2c5f_o.jpg

Then directly west of it sits this building...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3436/3977322556_60dd99d7e8_o.jpg

there are some really nice buildings in the same area... at least to me, it sticks out like a sore thumb and just looks like... I don't know, just don't think it fits in very well. As someone else said... maybe an attraction to go visit, like a giant funny mirror thing at a carnival, but a brain clinic??

[iAMB]

to OP....I actaully think it is a fantastic building. Of course that is coming from an Architecture Student. Give it some time, and even more when it is finished, take a walk inside. I bet you will be pleasently surprised by it. These buildings and styles take a while to go from hidious to beautiful for some people, either that or they always stay hidious to others. Can you imagine being the contractor trying to build this?

[waterj2]

As I suspected, it's designed by Frank Gehry. He does a lot of this sort of thing. Here's some more info (http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2009/02/the_cleveland_clinics_ruvo_cen.html), including a model of what it will look like when it's done.

[ghaleon109]

Wow, that building is amazing!

I'd love to walk inside it.

[-g-]

I'm gonna guess it'll be Ripley's Believe it or Not.

[FlyingPhotog]

Isn't there a building just like this in Europe some where?

[Cyclop]

Abstract and standing, fooled me too.

[martial76]

to OP....I actaully think it is a fantastic building. Of course that is coming from an Architecture Student. Give it some time, and even more when it is finished, take a walk inside. I bet you will be pleasently surprised by it. These buildings and styles take a while to go from hidious to beautiful for some people, either that or they always stay hidious to others. Can you imagine being the contractor trying to build this?

well, before I got my current job I was a structural iron worker and welder up on the hi-rises here in vegas... the last job that I worked on was building the venetian hotel. So, yes I can imagine building this thing. I have worked on several projects that the designers thought looked great on paper... despite the fact that there was no practical or safe way to do in real life what they could draw on paper or create a 3d model of on a computer. matter of fact, I had a good friend of mine die right in front of me in just such a situation. I don't know... perhaps my experience in building several major structures is part of the reason for my dislike of the building??



I'm gonna guess it'll be Ripley's Believe it or Not.

hahahaah... Ah, no. its going to be a clinic for "brain health" apparently there is some diagnostic or healing benefits to placing someone with brain troubles in a room that forces them to think that they are hallucinating and the walls are melting around them.

[JTW_Jr]

Beauty is in the eye of the beerholder....and there must have been many consumed during the designing of this one ;)

[ssracer]

Looks like something you would see at a thrill park.

On a side note, there is a Golden Nugget near my house...but mine is a little hole in the wall bar...lol

[Bill Roberts]

I really wonder just why it was designed like this?
I'll accept it looks totally whacky and may well present lots of design innovation in it's construction. Personally I think that no amount of time would make me grow to like it.
"stupid" was the first word that came to mind...

[noisy]

personally i like it a lot, that world market centre and the golden nugget buildings on the other hand are hideous.
each to their own though i suppose.

[waterj2]

hahahaah... Ah, no. its going to be a clinic for "brain health" apparently there is some diagnostic or healing benefits to placing someone with brain troubles in a room that forces them to think that they are hallucinating and the walls are melting around them.If it's anything like the one Frank Gehry building I've been inside, the Stata Center (http://images.google.com/images?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS306&q=mit+stata+center&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=xfzISsquO4GulAfSorWSAw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4) at MIT, the inside is likely to be surprisingly conventional. Of course, it's also likely to be shoddily constructed and leaky (although I'm guessing rain isn't as much of a concern in Las Vegas as it is in Cambridge).

[eldiablo]

Interesting photos...of a seriously odd structure.

It's Las Vegas, so I'm not surprised, but in an age where we are striving for more energy efficient and affordable buildings, this is total fubar. I'm sure Dali would be proud though.

Ahhh this takes the cake for me...
'Preliminary sketches for the Panama Puente de Vida Museo' (http://www.gehrypartners.com/_images/projects.panama.panama_02_600.jpg)
...the man is a genius!

[mikey42]

I would love to see what the inside of the building looks like...

[FlyingPhotog]

If it's anything like the one Frank Gehry building I've been inside, the Stata Center (http://images.google.com/images?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS306&q=mit+stata+center&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=xfzISsquO4GulAfSorWSAw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4) at MIT, the inside is likely to be surprisingly conventional. Of course, it's also likely to be shoddily constructed and leaky (although I'm guessing rain isn't as much of a concern in Las Vegas as it is in Cambridge).

I think that's the one I was thinking of...

Cambridge is kinda like Europe, right? :oops:

[ozziepuppy]

Reminds me of The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. Also reminds me of The Emperor's New Clothes. I personally think when form follows function the result is usually quite beautiful. JMO but this guy is making a lot of money out of monstrosities.

[Grimes]

I'm diggin it :)

[barefooter14]

wow i cant wait to go back and visit my family for thanksgiving.
i havent been back since i graduated from boulder city in 08 ha.
but i want to see the building looks very very cool

[mathogre]

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Given this is a brain clinic, I could see this as an affront to the people who receive services there. Sure, it's a singular design. Those people don't need something as seriously twisted as that; they need something that's stable.

Neat photos; hosed building, imho.

[chopper5654]

i can appreciate it...sort of. but, i couldn't walk past it every day and like it. i wonder what will happen when any portion of the roof/walls spring a leak? any repairs to this building, in the future, will have to be, "wtf do we do here?" and, any response will have to be, "i dunno, jim, but let's bill the hell out of them."

[poppie guy]

Interesting building and story, thanks for sharing the photos!

[PHS]

I love it. This reminds me of the Hundertwasswer haus's in Europe but without the color.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundertwasserhaus

[Addicted2EOS]

I kind of like it. It is VERY creative!

[bsmotril]

I know Global Warming is getting worse, but I've never seen a melted building before.

[dbdigitals]

While the building is "cool" in an interesting concept kind of way, I in no way see this as a good thing for people with brain disorders.

Can you imagine being told the address where you are supposed to go for your treatments, shrink sessions, memory exercises etc. and to arrive at this building?
Patients will think they are going crazy and freak out.
They will have to keep orderlies a block away with sedatives to catch the patients that freak out upon seeing this building.

[Anke]

Wow, amazing architecture. That's what we should be building these days not the usual boring glass towers.

[Realeyes]

Wonder how much extra will be tacked on to their patients bills for this crazy structure. Great structure but everything has its proper place and use. Maybe in an amusment park.

[ajosteve]

If you don't have a brain disorder, you will have after viewing this building. Maybe that's how they plan on drumming up business....heh...heh. It's very strange, but I'd like to see inside, and most of us will probably end up in there after looking at it too long!

[Todd Lambert]

I actually love it. Why strive for conformance?

[jstep7262]

I can understand why the building makes your brain hurt looking at it! What a trip...Thanks for sharing!

[Mu Eugene]

Isn't there a building just like this in Europe some where?

Vitra Design Museum

Guggenheim Bilbao

'Ginger and Fred' Prague

Hotel Marqués de Riscal, Elciego

to name a few.

iAmB - are you a student at Washington University?




To the OP.
I thought you were referring to The Golden Nugget Casino until I started scrolling down for more. I'm not personally a fan of Gehry but his works do wonders to the cityscape - ever heard of the Bilbao Effect?

[e02937]

I remember reading that the MIT building that was designed by this guy had serious drainage issues due to the off shape of the outside. IIRC (which I may not), MIT was going to sue him or something to that effect.

[e02937]

Ah yes...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stata_Center#Lawsuit

[philmar]

Isn't there a building just like this in Europe some where?

Yes...You're thinking of the Dancing House by Frank Gehry (same architect) in Prague. It reflects a woman and man (Ginger Rogers and Fred Astair) dancing together. Its unusual shape and technical solutions caused a big public debate. After ten years emotions are over, and the house has its place in modern Prague.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/2557894512_48dc9773d7_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/2557895088_396532f746_o.jpg

[martial76]

Wow... Sorry guys, I hadn't checked this thread in a while! I had no idea that it had recieved so many responses! It's funny reading through all your comments... Seems as though we are split pretty much 50/50 on liking it or not. Me... I am def on the not side! Mainly for the reasons most of u have said... Will makesomeone with a brain disorder think they are totallyfreaking out, and the HUGE amount of money that went into designing and building this thing.

On the brightsidr for me... It's right down the street from my work, so if I ever feel like reliving my late teen years... I can always drive by and feel like I ate a couple fists full of mushrooms! ;-)

[sctbiggs]

That would be a Frank Gehry. Somebody paid big bucks for that. I personally think it's great. Google the name to see more of his work. As an architecture graduate I have seen many films and read much on him. He is one arrogant son of a bleep. What really blows my mind are his sketches... scribbled lines... like a preschooler was handed a pencil and paper and was told to scribble. The man has made a ridiculous amount of money scribbling lines. Of course, you have to find some ballsy engineers to attempt to put those scribbled lines together.

[Kafn8td]

As I suspected, it's designed by Frank Gehry. He does a lot of this sort of thing. Here's some more info (http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2009/02/the_cleveland_clinics_ruvo_cen.html), including a model of what it will look like when it's done.

I was going to say that is classic Gehry. Geggenheim, Disney concert hall, Weisman art museum, the list goes on. I love his stuff, but it's not for everybody.