Amazing Ugliness

[GWR]

One of my nominations for Amazingly Decadent Architectural Mess of the Month. Trang's Concrete Oceanliner Hotel. Imagine staying here for a honeymoon after the Amazing Banality of a Mass Underwater Wedding. Let it never be said that wealth brings taste. Personally, I find more aesthetic appeal in many a Blackburn brick shithouse than in some over-gaudy tart's boudoir like the Versailles Palace:- ;)
http://www.geocities.com/swanchee/index_files/image031.jpg

[ncr]

Good idea. I was also playing with the thought of collecting imagery of urban-industrial architectural monstrosities. For example, stinking black canals spanned by pipes and colossal elevated roads, or neglected, crumbling buildings adorned with dirty air conditioning units and rubbish. (Plenty to find here in Bangkok!) Call it the "The Aesthetics of Ugliness" project. Actually I already started taking some photos. Maybe we can post them here.

[jpatokal]

Been there, done that. Try to spot the one from Thailand :D

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=407667

[ncr]

Been there, done that. Try to spot the one from Thailand :D1. The Buddhist paraphernalia, obviously. (Where exactly did you find that motif?)
2. OK, nice. But I think that's already too artistic, and the objects shown are not that ugly after all. I am a hobby photographer myself (probably not on your level!), but thought about something more brutal, and/or on a somewhat bigger scale. A simple documentation, not necessarily of great photographic value. There are so many amazing eyesores to see in this fantastic city - someone simply has to point the lens away from the ancient temples and gleaming skyscrapers. Will link to some examples here soon.

[GWR]

Good idea. I was also playing with the thought of collecting imagery of urban-industrial architectural monstrosities. For example, stinking black canals spanned by pipes and colossal elevated roads, or neglected, crumbling buildings adorned with dirty air conditioning units and rubbish. (Plenty to find here in Bangkok!) Call it the "The Aesthetics of Ugliness" project. Actually I already started taking some photos. Maybe we can post them here.

I think that's a good title, and this is precisely what I had in mind. Or perhaps 'The Unbearable Triteness of Building'? Maybe that could be the subtext. And maybe the mod will do us the honors and create a special subforum.

[GWR]

1. The Buddhist paraphernalia, obviously. (Where exactly did you find that motif?)
2. OK, nice. But I think that's already too artistic, and the objects shown are not that ugly after all. I am a hobby photographer myself (probably not on your level!), but thought about something more brutal, and/or on a somewhat bigger scale. A simple documentation, not necessarily of great photographic value. There are so many amazing eyesores to see in this fantastic city - someone simply has to point the lens away from the ancient temples and gleaming skyscrapers. Will link to some examples here soon.

I'd include many of the temples and skyscrapers as well. I mean, let's face it. Some temples are truly over the top. Less taste than Bette Midler. Ever seen that temple in Lopburi ( I think) that is all covered in bits of mirrored glass. And Bangkok's Elephant Building & Robot Building are pretty tired-looking. I don't know how these folks have the balls to call themselves architects.

I guess this is the architectural equivalent of the Hash House Harriers photo competition to immortalise the ugliest & most disfigured streetdog.

Expect a picture of Prince Of Songkhla University's wierd & wacky 'Fuk Thong' Pumpkin Building some time soon.

[ncr]

Khlong Samsen, Rama IX Road and Si Rat/Art Narong-Ram Inthra Expressway Interchange

1 (http://tinypic.com/4qkc4j) - 2 (http://tinypic.com/4qkc55) - 3 (http://tinypic.com/4qkc5y) - 4 (http://tinypic.com/4qkc9j) - 5 (http://tinypic.com/4qkca8) - 6 (http://tinypic.com/4qkcau) - 7 (http://tinypic.com/4qkl8j) - 8 (http://tinypic.com/4qkl77) - 9 (http://tinypic.com/4qkinm)

No space for living beings. Hard to imagine I live only a short walk away from this (no, NOT under a bridge). I think #8 is possibly the best photo: total desolation. Devoid of any hope. You have no idea how rusty that damn barbed wire is in some places. (#1 and #2 were actually taken through a rusty wire fence as well.) Please, please, someone create a park here! There's ample space.... I wonder who this land belongs to - BMA? Expressway operator? It could at least be used as a footpath. As it is now, pedestrians have to make a detour on the narrow sidewalk along the heavy traffic on Rama IX. #9 provides a little comfort at least: no real advantage in owning such a car here. Within the confines of a Bangkok traffic jam, all men are equal (almost). :D

more to follow......

[Wisarut]

Khun NCR,

The area under the expressways belongs to Expressway Authority according to the law .... BMA would get the permission to construction the pathway ONLY after getting the approval from Expressway Authority :D

[jpatokal]

1. The Buddhist paraphernalia, obviously. (Where exactly did you find that motif?)
The picture in question is from a temple in Chiang Mai, and I'm still kicking myself over the big-ass overexposed reflection. As for the motif...

2. OK, nice. But I think that's already too artistic, and the objects shown are not that ugly after all.
Yes, that's the entire idea. :D I'm trying to find beauty in unexpected places: rusty power meters, houses condemned for demolition, concrete wavebreakers, oil barrels dumped by the roadside, whatever. Not sure about where I got the idea, but I can insert some handwaving about Yukio Mishima's Buddhism-inspired theories of the decay of all physical things and the intricate interconnection between beauty and death...

And it's a surprisingly fine line between "gleaming skyscraper" and "desolate urban wasteland". Which side are these on?

http://jpatokal.iki.fi/photo/travel/Finland/Helsinki/Ruoholahti/

[ncr]

And it's a surprisingly fine line between "gleaming skyscraper" and "desolate urban wasteland". Which side are these on?Not sure, but these pix are really great! Like them better than the first series.

[ncr]

An almost typical footbridge near Phetchavej Hospital (New Phetburi). Ugliness in all directions.

1 overview (http://tinypic.com/4sz91h): the bridge in question is in the lower right (seen from the roof of Phetchavej Hospital) - plus you get a beautiful ghost building as a free bonus :D

2 the ghost from street level (http://tinypic.com/4sz96h)

3 the stairs from hell (http://tinypic.com/4szev6) - they had to make them this narrow so as not to interfere with the power cables (and the protruding roof)

4 garbage repository (http://tinypic.com/4szew4) (really typical, you see this everywhere in Bangkok)

5 the house (http://tinypic.com/4szf3m) to the left

6 detail: the wonderful balconies (http://tinypic.com/4szf5k)

7 some corrugated-iron-roof-covered storage yard (http://tinypic.com/4szfbl) - the usual mess....

8 ...yet beautifully enhanced by the crossing power cables (http://tinypic.com/4szfcy)!

9 passage (http://tinypic.com/4szfgl) towards the ghost building

10 now tell me, is this (http://tinypic.com/4szfip) a fine example of a run-down building, or what?

11 ghost close-up (http://tinypic.com/4szfk2)

12 behind (http://tinypic.com/4szfko) the metal fence

.................ENJOY! (I know GWR will like this.)

[GWR]

Thai TV is obviously psychotropic.

[ncr]

To give a perspective for the photos -

The mentioned Expressway Interchange is here (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=13.750570,100.593181&spn=0.005075,0.007918&t=k&hl=en) (view centered on the photographer's stand point).

Phetburi Tat Mai around Phetchavej Hospital is here (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=13.742437,100.594683&spn=0.005075,0.007918&t=k&hl=en) .