Carbuncle Awards
The Carbuncle Awards were architecture prizes, presented by the Scottish magazine Urban Realm (formerly Prospect) to buildings and areas in Scotland intermittently from 2000 until 2015. They were established following a discussion about why policy initiatives to improve the quality of the built environment seemed to be having so little impact beyond the centres of Scotland's key cities. The name of the awards was derived from a comment by Charles, Prince of Wales (now Charles III), an outspoken critic of modern architecture, who in 1984 described Ahrends Burton Koralek's proposed extension of London's National Gallery as a "monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend". There were three award categories: Plook on the Plinth Award "for the most dismal town in Scotland". A "plook" is a Scottish noun for pimple. (Officially Retired) The Pock Mark Award "for the worst planning decision". The Zit Building Award "for the worst building completed since the last awards". Public nominations were made via the magazine's website, with a small group of critics selecting the final winners. Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire won the Plook on the Plinth Award twice and was the town most frequently nominated for the award. The Carbuncle Awards inspired the Carbuncle Cup, another architecture prize launched in 2006 which was given annually by Building Design magazine to "the ugliest building in the United Kingdom completed in the last 12 months". The latter went on to achieve somewhat greater prominence in the media, and was last held in 2018. In 2024, Soho based magazine The Fence revived the Carbuncle Cup award.
The Carbuncle Awards were architecture prizes, presented by the Scottish magazine Urban Realm (formerly Prospect) to buildings and areas in Scotland intermittently from 2000 until 2015.[1]
They were established following a discussion about why policy initiatives to improve the quality of the built environment seemed to be having so little impact beyond the centres of Scotland's key cities.[2]
The name of the awards was derived from a comment by Charles, Prince of Wales (now Charles III), an outspoken critic of modern architecture, who in 1984 described Ahrends Burton Koralek's proposed extension of London's National Gallery as a "monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend".[3][4]
There were three award categories:
- Plook on the Plinth Award "for the most dismal town in Scotland". A "plook" is a Scottish noun for pimple. (Officially Retired)
- The Pock Mark Award "for the worst planning decision".
- The Zit Building Award "for the worst building completed since the last awards".
Public nominations were made via the magazine's website, with a small group of critics selecting the final winners.
Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire won the Plook on the Plinth Award twice and was the town most frequently nominated for the award.
The Carbuncle Awards inspired the Carbuncle Cup, another architecture prize launched in 2006 which was given annually by Building Design magazine to "the ugliest building in the United Kingdom completed in the last 12 months".[5] The latter went on to achieve somewhat greater prominence in the media, and was last held in 2018. In 2024, Soho based magazine The Fence revived the Carbuncle Cup award.[6]
Winners
[edit]Plook on the Plinth Award
| Year | Winner | Also shortlisted |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Airdrie | Cumbernauld, Campbeltown, Ardrossan and Balloch[7] |
| 2001 | Cumbernauld | Gretna, Aviemore, Dumbarton and two areas of Edinburgh[8] |
| 2005 | Cumbernauld[9][10] | Cowdenbeath, Dalkeith, Ardrossan, Greenock and Granton (north Edinburgh) |
| 2007 | Coatbridge[11][12][13] | — |
| 2009 | Glenrothes[14][15][16] | New Cumnock and Motherwell[17] |
| 2010 | John o' Groats / Denny[18][19][20][21][22][23] | East Kilbride, Inverness and Lochgelly[24] |
| 2011 | Linwood[25][26][27] | Nairn and Fort William[28] |
| 2013 | New Cumnock[29][30] | Broxburn, Fort William, Kirkintilloch, Motherwell, Newmilns and Paisley[31][32] |
| 2015 | Aberdeen[33][34][35] | Cumbernauld, East Kilbride and Leven |
| 2025 | Port Glasgow | Ayr, Hamilton, Arbroath |
Notes:
- The shortlist section includes the towns that were in consideration for the award by Urban Realm
- The 2010 award was passed to runners-up Denny, after original winners John o' Groats refused it
- The 2005 judging panel included the artist Richard Demarco and the Sunday Herald's associate editor Alan Taylor
- The 2011 judging panel included architecture critic Mark Chalmers and Urban Realm editor John Glenday
- After the 2025 award was awarded to Port Glasgow, the backlash caused the award to be Officially retired.
The Zit Building Award
| Year | Winner | Shortlist |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | UGC, now Cineworld in Glasgow | — |
| 2001 | Maternity hospital at Glasgow Royal Infirmary | Edinburgh Business Plaza The Exchange, Haymarket railway station |
| 2005 | The Pinnacle Building, Glasgow | — |
| 2011 | Menie Clubhouse[36] | Fraserburgh Pool and Invergordon Fabrication shed |
| 2015 | Edinburgh Airport eastern terminal expansion | — |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Carbuncles". Urban Realm. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "The Carbuncle Awards 2005". Urban Realm. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ Glancey, Jonathan (17 May 2004). "Life after carbuncles". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
- ^ "A speech by HRH The Prince of Wales at the 150th anniversary of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Royal Gala Evening at Hampton Court Palace". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ Watson, Anna (22 July 2010). "Six in race for Carbuncle Cup". Building Design. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "The Carbuncle Cup 2024". The Fence. Archived from the original on 21 May 2025. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ "Dismal distinction for Airdrie". BBC News. 20 November 2000. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "Cumbernauld wins carbuncle award". BBC News. 21 November 2001. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "The Carbuncle Awards 2005". Urban Realm. 2005. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "Plook on the Plinth Award 2005". Urban Realm. 2005. Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- ^ "The Carbuncle Awards 2007". Urban Realm. 2007. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "Carbuncle 'crown' for Coatbridge". BBC News. 26 November 2007. Archived from the original on 12 October 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ "Plook on the Plinth Award 2007". Urban Realm. 2007. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- ^ "The Carbuncle Awards 2009". Urban Realm. 2009. Archived from the original on 17 June 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- ^ "'Depressed' town wins Plook award". BBC News. 29 January 2009. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ "Plook on the Plinth Award 2009". Urban Realm. 2009. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- ^ "The Carbuncle Awards 2009 : Carbuncles : Architecture in profile the building environment in Scotland". Urban Realm. Archived from the original on 17 June 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- ^ "John O'Groats named Scotland's most dismal town". Urban Realm. 2010. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ "Carbuncle Award goes to John O'Groats". BBC News. 10 September 2010. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ "Denny residents accept Plook after John O'Groats rejection". Urban Realm. 2010. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ "Denny residents lobby for 'most dismal town in Scotland' award". The Guardian. 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ "The Carbuncle Awards 2010". Urban Realm. 2010. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- ^ "Plook on the Plinth Award 2010". Urban Realm. 2010. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- ^ "The Carbuncle Awards 2010 : Carbuncles : Architecture in profile the building environment in Scotland". Urban Realm. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- ^ "The Carbuncle Awards 2011". Urban Realm. 2011. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
- ^ "Linwood wins 'dismal' town award". BBC News. 15 December 2011. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ "Plook on the Plinth Award 2011". Urban Realm. 2011. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
- ^ "Carbuncle Awards". Glasgow Architecture. 29 March 2013. Archived from the original on 6 February 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- ^ "The Carbuncle Awards 2013". Urban Realm. 2013. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
- ^ "New Cumnock wins Carbuncle award". BBC News. 28 March 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ "Carbuncle Awards: What is Scotland's ugliest town?". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 15 September 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
- ^ "Plook on the Plinth Award 2013". Urban Realm. 2013. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
- ^ "Plook on the Plinth Award 2014". Urban Realm. 2014. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
- ^ "Carbuncle Awards: Aberdeen named Scotland's most dismal town". BBC News. 3 February 2015. Archived from the original on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
- ^ "City leaders hit back at Aberdeen's Carbuncle Award". Evening Express. 3 February 2015. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^ "Trump clubhouse handed zit award". Urban Realm. 22 December 2011. Archived from the original on 6 February 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.