Four Oregon Public Buildings Ranked Among the Ugliest in America
Oregon boasts a wide array of natural wonders, from rugged coastlines, lush forests, and arid deserts to its cascading mountain range. Yet, four of it’s manmade buildings ranked among the ugliest in America in a recent survey.
4 Oregon Public Buildings Rank Among The Ugliest in America
In a recent poll of 3,012 people by New Jersey Real Estate Network to find the ugliest public buildings in America, the City of Flint Municipal Center, Flint, Michigan, a solid construction with high marks for durability, but stylistically plain and stuck in an era where civic buildings weren’t expected to be welcoming, was awarded the dubious honour of top spot. Still, four of Oregon’s buildings also appear in the rankings.
Californians are rightly proud of the Santa Barbara County Courthouse and San Francisco City Hall, but California’s Fresno County Superior Court was rated the second ugliest building in the land, favoring symmetry and concrete over detail or warmth. It’s a utilitarian building, and it shows.
Similarly, New York boasts the Grand Central Station and the Empire State Building. However, Buffalo City Court, in Buffalo, New York, was voted the third ugliest building in the country. Framed in concrete and defined by its grid-like facade, with little architectural charm, this stern-looking building speaks of the serious legal business happening between its walls.
In Oregon, the four buildings that made the ugly list according to the infographic showing the 100 ugliest public buildings in America are:
#51. Multnomah County Justice Center, Portland
Featuring a tall, window-limited facade and strict symmetry, the strength of the building, like its New York counterpart, is its clear message of the purpose it’s designed for, although this may be what makes it feel unapproachable and lacking in softness.
#68. Gresham City Hall, Gresham
A government building that embraces clean and modern design, its unusual shape and tidy landscaping feel efficient but fall a little flat, fitting in seamlessly with nearby offices.
#70. Secretary of State Office Building, Salem
Another example of simplicity and order, this building communicates structure and focus, in step with other state facilities, but its subdued exterior can feel a bit forgettable, albeit a reliable impression.
#88. Medford City Hall, Medford
A neat and serviceable structure that wouldn’t feel out of place in a suburban office park, the building plays it very safe architecturally, but does offer function over form with clear signage and a reliable presence.