Ugliness and Judgment

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When buildings are deemed ugly, what are the consequences? Timothy Hyde examines the impact of aesthetic judgment concerning ugliness in architectural debates and its social effects throughout three centuries of British architectural history. From eighteenth-century perspectives on Stonehenge to Prince Charles's critiques of the National Gallery, Hyde reveals a narrative where discussions about architectural ugliness extend beyond mere style assessments to influence various aspects of civil society. He investigates both accidental and intentional ugliness, analyzing examples like the gothic revival Houses of Parliament, the brutalist South Bank, and the historicist Number One Poultry. These structures have been scrutinized in parliamentary committees, courtrooms, and public inquiries. Hyde highlights how prominent architects, including Christopher Wren, John Soane, James Stirling, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, have faced aesthetic judgment. By exploring lawsuits for libel, evolving nuisance law, and monarchical privilege, he illustrates how aesthetic evaluations intertwine with broader considerations of art, science, religion, political economy, and governance. By transcending superficial taste, Hyde reveals how architectural improprieties can drive social transformations, illuminating the significance of aesthetic measurement in our world.