" Worst Architecture "

tbbr · Post by **tbbr** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:21 pm

Many say that the new Marina in Albufeira is an eyesore, I think that it is just different.

However the Riverside complex and restaurant on the hill in Ferrugada is something else, it must have been designed by a disciple of Gaudi " on speed ".
Its almost so bad that that is deserves to become a listed building.

Any other Nominations ??

Bruxinha · Post by **Bruxinha** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:51 pm

The whole of Quarteira and Armação de Pêra for starters.

tbbr · Post by **tbbr** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:48 pm

I wouldn,t call that good architecture by todays standards, but isn,t one definition not that its a bad building but rather its in the wrong place ?

Bruxinha · Post by **Bruxinha** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:21 pm

For me, both places look an overdeveloped mess with no thought whatsover to design or pleasing architecture. They are just plain ugly. Vilamoura is too manicured...you know my favourite expression: Milton Keynes with Palm trees. It is a difficult balance, I know but surely people can come up with something nicer and more imaginative than some of those places. Silves could be really cool, if they decided to clean it up and paint some of the old buildings and make it more lively with more street cafés on the new square. In the winter it is dead, dead, DEAD!! There are some great buildings in Silves, including a house that once belonged to the King of Portugal but you would never notice it because it is shabby. Shame, I think.

maddi · Post by **maddi** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:33 pm

In Gaios on Paxos there are quite a lot of gorgeous merchant houses, many of which were run down, with flaking paint - a decision was made to smarten them up to make the town more attractive to the tourists, in particular the more cosmopolitan yachting crowd . . .

. . . so rather like you imagine in some of these places (going to sound like an 'ist' of some kind again!) they did beautifully paint jobs on the ground floor only because thats all people see - obviously tourists aren't expected to look up.

It sort of reminded me of Cairo where everything at street level is wonderfully colourful, a mish mash of bright lights and bright colours, shiny copper, lots of blues and reds and then one level above for floor after floor into the sky the city is completely brown.

Maddi

Bruxinha · Post by **Bruxinha** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:58 pm

I think people call Albufeira marina legoland, don't they?

I was just thinking, Praia da Rocha marina has a similar colour thing going on. I love bold colours but not those ones particularly. One is sort of rust colour I seem to recall. Lisbon has some nice stuff going on architecturally last time I was up there i.e. on the route out towards Cascais. A lot of glass and wood, as opposed to just concrete and tiles etc. Algarve architecture is a bit limited. In some ways I understand it i.e the traditional white cal painted buildings with the the light blue and moorish style with the chimneys etc but in other ways it is a tad restrictive and boring and most of the new villas are very dull and square boxy. I tend to like completely futuristic, minimalistic, very light, airy buildings with metal, glass and wood or very old and rustic, nothing in between.

maddi · Post by **maddi** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:28 pm

I haven't seen the new Marina in Albufeira but have to say I agree with you Bruxy that Vilamoura is too manicured - I rather like things to be in keeping with their surroundings or completely unique - it always strikes me with Vilamoura that I could be anywhere in the world.

Maddi

nightrider · Post by **nightrider** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:14 am

tbbr wrote: but isn,t one definition not that its a bad building but rather its in the wrong place ?

TBBR....in the Algarve such as you describe above happens time and time again and more so it is not a matter that a building is in the wrong place but that it should not be there at all. Whilst on this subject..... if the word Servitude (s) on any document appears surrounding a would-be- purchase...make 101% check on what you are signing....you may be giving a 3rd party a legal right to cross your property and therefore, to gain access to an illegally newly built or old building and much more. Of course this happens more in the rural areas but has been known in Urban as well.
Nightrider

biffa · Post by **biffa** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 12:55 pm

Those apartments behind Monte Dourado take some beating!

sundance · Post by **sundance** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 1:22 pm

Algarve architecture is a bit limited. In some ways I understand it i.e the traditional white cal painted buildings with the the light blue and moorish style with the chimneys etc but in other ways it is a tad restrictive and boring and most of the new villas are very dull and square boxy. I tend to like completely futuristic, minimalistic, very light, airy buildings with metal, glass and wood or very old and rustic, nothing in between.

Bruxy, although I'm not a fan of the moorish style - quite the opposite - I believe that we should keep architecture in harmony with culture and landscape. Unfortunately the Algarve, while trying to modernise its architecture is creating too many "legolands".

I know the traditional style is boring to me but it fits the region and a lot of people appreciate it. Wouldn't it be dreadful if in the UK instead of Tudor/Georgian/Victorian, etc neighbourhoods, for example, they began building in moorish style, just to make a change???!!

Bruxinha · Post by **Bruxinha** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 1:55 pm

Yes, it boils down to the right thing in the right place, I suppose. I think by the coast, where they are no definite villages, the modern style can be very nice but those legoland colours grate on my eyes. In the countryside and in old fishing villages etc, it is nice to keep the traditional feel.

I always find Lagos and Faro (in the centre) quite pleasing to the eye and with a nice feel about them, whereas a lot of Portimão is so dowdy and ugly. Now they have stuck that new square in the centre etc and something doesn't seem to be working to me.

What do you think on Portimão, Sunny?

sundance · Post by **sundance** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 3:37 pm

What do you think on Portimão, Sunny?

I think it's a mess! One of the ugliest places I've been to! Thank Goodness for Alvor even though it's still got those horrendous tower blocks built in the 70's.

Portimão is incredibly degraded. There are lots of antique facades that could be restored - even if just the facade - but they are letting them fall apart.

They seem to be building all those squares with lots of cement, a bit of green to distract the eye from the rest, and the water fountains that don't really do much for the atmosphere of the place. (They could, but somehow it doesn't really work out well as a whole).

And those buildings with all these bright colours - again legolands - being built near Modelo and surrounding areas...it just doesn't fit with anything.

One day I saw this written on a wall:

Portimão, Portimão
Terra do meu coração
Como é tão bom descansar
À sombra de um muro de betão

tbbr · Post by **tbbr** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 4:17 pm

The west sea front of albufeira has some very old buildings that were sadly declining BUt now there are signs that at least one is being refurbished.
I agree that parts of lagos still retain their charm buut we have to be carefull with our comments.
Which would you rather live in a modern apartment with all mod cons or a 4 room 2 storey " charming " fishermans cottage in the certre of a noisy tourist town ?

Bruxinha · Post by **Bruxinha** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 4:36 pm

Me personally, I'd like to live in a very modern, minimalist apartment in a biggish city or a city by the sea, somewhere in Europe. It would be bright and airy with little furniture, easy to clean appliances, lots of glass, metal and wood flooring....that sort of thing.

One day soon........

sundance · Post by **sundance** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 5:32 pm

Me personally, I'd like to live in a very modern, minimalist apartment in a biggish city or a city by the sea, somewhere in Europe.

That always appealed to me as long the city has huge parks, with lakes, rivers or if it was by the sea...But I wouldn't mind a holiday home deep in a forest in Norway or Sweden (of course I'd s*** myself at night, especially during storms). Hmmmm....

I like heavy rustic decoration to look at, but I couldn't stand living "in it".

" Worst Architecture "

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