Are these the world's ugliest buildings? You decide

Are these buildings icons or eyesores?

It's often said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder; one person's eyesore is another's architectural masterpiece. While some critically acclaimed structures are rightly lauded for their ground-breaking designs, the court of public opinion isn't always so kind. We've scoured the internet to uncover the most daring and divisive structures riling up locals and social media users across the world. From brutalist icons to unusual and enigmatic landmarks, could these be the most controversial buildings on the planet – or the most misunderstood? Read on and you decide...

*Prices in US dollars and British pounds.

Trump Tower Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Former president Donald Trump isn't exactly known for his minimalist taste. The eclectic style displayed in his own residences is ostentatiously heavy on the bling: think sparkling crystal chandeliers, gilded details and plush cream carpets. And no building quite exemplifies his design preferences better than Trump Tower in Las Vegas. With a glistening, 24-carat gold façade, its eye-catching material choices have rubbed some critics the wrong way over the years. Rightly or wrongly, builders' merchants Buildworld even named it the sixth-ugliest building in America and the 10th-ugliest in the world in their 2023 ranking, which was calculated by analysing the language people used when talking about certain buildings on Twitter.

Trump Tower Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

The 64-storey hotel and residential condo was developed by Trump and fellow American businessman, Phil Ruffin, between 2005 and 2008, at a reported cost of £250 million ($300m). Inside, the property features high-end hotel suites with marble bathrooms, an upscale restaurant that serves only American cuisine, a spa and an outdoor heated pool. But who cares about what's going on inside, when the exterior is dripping in gold?

MI6 Building, London, UK

If you've ever watched a James Bond movie, then you'll likely recognise this building. The HQ of MI6, the UK's Secret Intelligence Service, the structure is defined by its Tetris-like concrete blocks, green glass and interlocking roof terraces – and there are said to be 60 in total! It lies on the River Thames in Vauxhall, London, and thanks to its distinctive form, it has gained plenty of affectionate nicknames, including Legoland and The Ziggurat. Fairly intimidating in stature, it isn't hard to believe that this is where spies prepare for their secret missions.

MI6 Building, London, UK

The fortress was designed by Sir Terry Farrell and completed in the early 1990s. Farrell is said to have been inspired by Aztec temples and 1930s industrial modernist architecture like Battersea Power Station. Due to the sensitive nature of MI6’s work, the building was made impenetrable, with numerous underground rooms connected by secret tunnels. Despite its revered status and architectural merit, Buildworld named the landmark the fifth-ugliest in Britain and 14th-ugliest in the world. Love it or hate it, it's undeniably an iconic London landmark.

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool, UK

Designed to inspire awe and reverence among parishioners, religious buildings often feature stunning stonework and delicate stained-glass windows. However, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral offers a striking rebuttal to traditionalist architecture. As one of the most unusual churches in the world, the UFO-like structure boasts a remarkable spire that resembles a crown of swords. So, how did such a unique structure come to be? Well, two far more conventional designs for the city's cathedral were proposed, but neither were built. So, in 1960, architects from around the world were invited to put forward their ideas.

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool, UK

The proposed churches needed to be quick and cheap to build and capable of accommodating around 2,000 people. Architects also had to feature a visible altar and also somehow incorporate a historic crypt. This design, by Sir Frederick Gibberd, was chosen from 300 entries. The circular building, formed from 16 boomerang-shaped concrete trusses, with the altar at its centre, fulfilled the competition's tricky brief. While its unconventional architecture has caused controversy, it's arguably one of the most innovative religious buildings in the world and we can't help but love its atmospheric interior.

The Museum of Pop Culture, Washington, USA

If you've never been to Seattle, Washington you might not know what this enigmatic masterpiece is. Well, the Museum of Pop Culture, or MoPOP for short, is home to an extensive collection of memorabilia and artefacts from the worlds of music, film and video games. The building was masterminded in 2000 by billionaire Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft. Originally known as the Experience Music Project, the architecture of the building was designed to convey "the energy and fluidity of music".

The Museum of Pop Culture, Washington, USA

Architectural heavyweight Frank O. Gehry designed the museum and took inspiration from electric guitars. He sliced some of the instruments into pieces and used them as building blocks for an early model. Spanning 140,000 square feet, the structure features a free-flowing form covered in 3,000 panels, made up of 21,000 individually cut, shaped and painted aluminium and stainless steel shingles. These pieces reflect the light, offering a different perspective from every angle. Though some have taken a disliking to the bold building, there's no denying that its design is ground-breaking, plus there's something rather alluring about that ever-changing façade.

J. Edgar Hoover Building, Washington, DC, USA

Clearly, secret service agencies around the world all have a propensity for divisive architecture, because the striking headquarters of the FBI has been named by Buildworld as the ugliest building in America and the second-ugliest in the world. In fact, they found that over one-third of tweets about the structure were negative in sentiment, however, they did acknowledge that "there’s a certain Minecraft-y charm about the blocky brutalist monolith".

J. Edgar Hoover Building, Washington, DC, USA

Known as the J. Edgar Hoover Building, the low-rise office block is located in the heart of Washington, DC and was completed in 1974. Designed by Charles F. Murphy and Associates, the building cost a staggering £101 million ($126m) to construct. While the structure certainly has its critics, it's also an important landmark in the history of American architecture. It's no secret that brutalism has somewhat fallen out of contemporary favour, however, architecture professor Mark Pasnik rushed to the defense of brutalist municipal buildings like this: "They were actually envisioned as being monumental symbols of how important the civic realm was", he explained to WBUR.

Aoyama Technical College, Tokyo, Japan

Aoyama Technical College in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the most innovative urban structures across the globe, notable for its use of unconventional materials. Its eye-catching, irregular form has seen it likened to a Transformers character, while Architecture Tokyo called it "a cross between an insect and a motorcycle". Positioned on an unassuming residential street, it's no surprise that the daring educational institution specialises in teaching architecture. A melting pot of styles, the cutting-edge building was finished in 1990 and was the first major project by award-winning architect Makoto Sei Watanabe.

Aoyama Technical College, Tokyo, Japan

When you take a closer look, all the various elements of the bold, futuristic building come into focus. The main body is made up of "posts, water tanks, lightning rods and joints of various kinds", according to the architect himself. The exterior is clad in aluminium panels in four colours, giving the façade a unique, blocky finish. Architecture Tokyo suggests the mysterious building perfectly suits the "disorderly, chaotic area in which it stands". We can't help but admire its masterful design!

Denver International Airport, Colorado, USA

No, you're not looking at the tents of Glastonbury – this fascinating building is actually Denver International Airport (DIA), which was named Best Large Airport in the 2021 USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards. Not all of its accolades are quite as glowing though. Buildworld declared the building the ninth-ugliest in the world and the fifth-ugliest in America, yet others laud the structure as a pioneering transport hub. It was designed in the early 90s by Curtis W. Fentress, who came aboard when the project was already behind schedule and over budget. He was reportedly given just three weeks to come up with a new concept.

Denver International Airport, Colorado, USA

To speed things up and reduce costs, Fentress opted to cover the structure with what was then the world’s largest fabric roof. An inspired move, the lightweight canopy replaced thousands of tonnes of steel, reduced the build schedule by nine months and saved £101 million ($115m). But that isn't the only interesting thing about DIA. Strangely, there are numerous sensational myths about the building. According to some conspiracy theorists, the Freemasons control the airport, while others say it’s home to a secret underground city that will protect the world's elite in the event of the apocalypse. Sounds legit...

Žižkov Television Tower, Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is home to some truly incredible architecture, from the Powder Tower to St Nicholas Church. Yet some of the standout landmarks in the Czech city have sparked controversy too, including Žižkov Television Tower. The TV transmitter is the tallest building in the Czech Republic, soaring some 709 feet, and was designed by architect Václav Aulický. Construction began in the 1980s and the tower was finally opened in 1992. Sitting on three pillars, its daring, futuristic form has the appearance of a rocket about to be launched into space.

Žižkov Television Tower, Prague, Czech Republic

Yet the tower has another unique detail. Its exterior is covered in small statues of crawling babies. The art installation was created by David Černý and was added to the tower at the turn of the millennium. The unusual figurines are said to be a symbol of the Communist Era, when the country was stifled under totalitarian rule and unable to grow. While it's certainly been the subject of debate in the city, it's become a prominent part of Prague's skyline and a must-see for many tourists, offering breathtaking views from the observation deck.

US Bank Stadium, Minnesota, USA

The US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis is a cutting-edge sports centre. Its sleek exterior and distinctive angular lines have a futuristic appeal, but it has surprisingly been the subject of ire from some locals. So what makes the structure so controversial? Well, perhaps the price tag put some locals' noses out of joint. The striking multi-purpose stadium, which is the home of the Minnesota Vikings, is said to have cost just under £882 million ($1.1bn) to build. To compound the criticism, Buildworld labelled it the seventh-ugliest building in America and the 12th-ugliest in the world.

US Bank Stadium, Minnesota, USA

The Vikings reportedly wanted an outdoor stadium, but they were only given funding from state and local governments for an indoor stadium. So Architecture firm HKS, Inc. decided to cover the building in a streamlined glass skin. The stadium features glazed entrances with giant pivoting doors, as well as walls of windows, allowing fans to see all the way to downtown Minneapolis. The structure also boasts a translucent roof, one of the largest in North America, with a slanted design that allows it to endure heavy snow loads. However, due to the highly reflective nature of the exterior, there have sadly been a large number of bird fatalities.

Boston City Hall, Massachusetts, USA

Boston City Hall in Massachusetts is a historically important example of brutalist architecture designed by Kallmann McKinnell & Knowles back in 1963. The seat of the municipal government of Boston, the structure was the result of yet another competition. Out of the 256 entries received by the design jury, this was the lucky design selected. The monumental structure is built from coarse rock columns and precast Portland cement and masonry blocks.

Boston City Hall, Massachusetts, USA

Despite its architectural significance, the structure has divided opinion. It was declared the second-ugliest building in America and fourth-ugliest in the world by Buildworld. However, the municipal structure has its champions too. Boston historian Douglass Shand-Tucci described it as "arguably the great building of twentieth-century Boston". Over the years, there have been several plans to demolish the structure, but thankfully none have come to fruition.