The Diamond shortlisted for Worst New Building in UK award

Finally an award we actually care about


The Diamond has been shortlisted for the prestigious Carbuncle Cup award hosted by architecture magazine, Building Design. The award is designed to name and shame true atrocities built over the past year.

The £81-million building has been placed under the category of Worst New Building in the UK.

For the past year we have done nothing but moan about its impracticality, the obscene cost of building it, and most importantly the aesthetics of the architecture, previously being referred to as “an incredibly ugly building”.

Just look at it

And one particularly impassioned commenter went as far as saying it is “a stupid looking building to add to others surrounding it such as the gigantic black cushion, the green thing that looks like a level on the old mario games and the giant multi coloured thing… What’s next? The building that looks like a walnut whip?”

But finally official conformation has been granted, by legitimate architects, proving that we were not misguided.

It’s all rather ironic seeing as The Diamond was branded as the ‘jewel in the University’s crown’. Instead, nominator Ann Kent says locally the building is known as the ‘bling building’.

On top of being an eyesore, the building sparked controversy as the demolition of most of the historic Jessop Hospital was required. Many were attached to the hospital as generations of families had been born in it, and thought the grade 11 listed building beautiful. But instead we have this attempt at ‘modern’ architecture in it’s place.

Inspiration: Cheese?

Lewis Eyley, business management second year, was elated to find out the news, saying: “It’s just awful awful awful. It is generally not fit for purpose, with ludicrous furniture which does not make efficient use of space and its so-called ‘clever’ design which cuts out half the middle floors, thus wasting loads more space.”

“The whole feng shui vibe is sickening”

Nominations for the Carbuncle Cup will continue until the end of August, and the winner will be declared in early September.