World's Ugliest Skyscrapers

Are these the world's ugliest skyscrapers? The bizarre towers that are shaped like elephants or gods and have sculptures of naked babies climbing their pillars

• By Chris Kitching For Mailonline, www.dailymail.co.uk
• December 11th, 2015

They’re the signature of any major city’s skyline – towering buildings that are beloved by locals and a magnet for tourists looking for the perfect Instagram snap.

While many have become celebrated symbols due to their architectural beauty, others have broken the mould and left visitors wondering why they were built in the first place.

The strangest skyscrapers in the world are an endless source of debate, with Bangkok's unusual Elephant Building being billed as 'the most talked about building' in Thailand and one of the world's ugliest.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however. The 32-floor high-rise was built to look like an elephant – one of the country's most famous animals – and houses luxury flats, office space, a swimming pool and shops.

Prague's Zizkov Television Tower doesn't look that odd when it is viewed from the city's historic centre, but visitors who get up close encounter a bizarre sight – sculptures of naked babies climbing the communist-era tower's pillars.The sculptures were not part of the original design, however. They were attached as part of a temporary art installation in 2000 and returned the following year as part of a permanent exhibit. 

From a tower that has 'hugging koalas' to a colourful hotel that depicts three Chinese gods, these are the strangest skyscrapers in the world.

The Elephant Building, Bangkok 

The Elephant Building, home to luxury flats, office space and shops, has been billed as the most talked about structure in Bangkok

The 32-floor high-rise was built to look like an elephant – one of the country's most famous animals – but has received mixed reviews

Zizkov Television Tower, Prague 

Sculptures of naked babies were added to the communist-era Zizkov tower's pillars as part of a temporary art installation in 2000

Prague's Zizkov Television Tower doesn't look that odd when it is viewed from afar; the sculptures became permanent in 2001

Lippo Centre, Hong Kong 

These twin towers were completed in 1988 and have been called the 'koala tree buildings' because their extrusions look like koala bears

With sea views from the upper floors, the 42- and 46-storey towers boast retail space on the ground floors and office space above

Tianzi Hotel, Sanhe, China 

This wacky hotel in China's eastern Hebei province depicts Fu, Lu and Shou, the Chinese gods of good fortune, prosperity and longevity

Located just east of Beijing, the hotel holds the world record for the biggest image building Photo by: pictured: Shou the god of longevity

20 Fenchurch Street (The Walkie Talkie), London

The 37-storey Walkie Talkie office building was voted the ugliest and most hated building in Britain by Building Design magazine

The Walkie Talkie became even more of a tourist attraction when it opened SkyGarden, a three-floor space with stunning views of London

The Robot Building, Bangkok 

Bangkok's Robot Building, home to the United Overseas Bank headquarters turns plenty of heads and draws plenty of holidaymakers

Longaberger Basket Company headquarters, Newark, Ohio

The Longaberger Basket Company's headquarters in Newark, Ohio, is an example of novelty architecture; the handles weigh 150 tons

Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang, North Korea 

The Ryugyong Hotel dominates the skyline in Pyongyang, North Korea; construction began in 1987 and the hotel has never opened

Aldar headquarters, Abu Dhabi 

Aldar's headquarters in Abu Dhabi was once voted the most futuristic building in the world; it is the world's first circular skyscraper

Central China TV headquarters, Beijing  

Designers of the Central China TV building described it as the reinvention of the skyscraper as a loop, defying the quest for ultimate height

Fangyuan Mansion, Shenyang, China 

Fenyuang Mansion, a 25-storey high-rise inspired by the ancient Chinese copper coin, was called one of the world's ugliest buildings

Umeda Sky Building, Osaka 

Billed as a pair of skyscrapers connected in mid-air, the Umeda Sky Building in Osaka, Japan, has a 'floating' garden at the top