The Gherkin Makes London's Ugliest Building List

A poll on BBC London on the most ugly buildings in the capital has controversially included in it's finalists 30 St Mary's Axe, popularly known by Londoners as the Gherkin.

Since it was built in 2004 it surprised everyone by working its way quickly into the affections of Londoners and is much used as a symbol of the city's modernity having featured prominently in literature ranging from the front cover of Newsweek to the winning bid for the 2012 Olympics.
As well as the media attention there's been a whole slew of awards for the Norman Foster designed building, the most important of which was the 2004 Sterling Prize for best building, the annual architecture Oscar.

Another tall building to make the ugly list is Centre Point, a more understandable entry given the quality of the ground level around the tower and the oppressive effect it has on that end of Oxford Street.

The other mingers mentioned are the brutalist Tower Hotel that stands next to the north end of Tower Bridge, the concrete arts complex that dominates the Southbank Centre, and a tower at Colliers Wood.

It's notable that three of the five buildings mentioned are towers, but what's most surprising is the total lack of Guys Hospital on the list given it's considered by many to be London's ugliest tall building.

Perhaps the inclusion of the Gherkin is more an attempt by the BBC to adopt a controversial approach or the input of feminists railing against the most phallic object on the London skyline. Perhaps next year the nipple-like St Paul's Cathedral could be nominated.