York Uni - ugliest uni?
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Original post by Voi
Neither. Just telling the much-needed truth. Here, see for yourself
http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/york/performance
9th in 2010.
20th in 2017.
At this rate, it'll be 30th come 2025. You mark my words.
What the university needs, like I keep saying, is a good makeover. It's all about what the university looks like nowadays, what the internet, facebook, selfies and the like. No one wants to be taking selfies next to a block of old concrete - their mates might mistake it for a council estate.
http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/york/performance
9th in 2010.
20th in 2017.
At this rate, it'll be 30th come 2025. You mark my words.
What the university needs, like I keep saying, is a good makeover. It's all about what the university looks like nowadays, what the internet, facebook, selfies and the like. No one wants to be taking selfies next to a block of old concrete - their mates might mistake it for a council estate.
Yeah as I said earlier 2010 was the year they started a £750 million expansion and rebuild programme. So they are renovating. You drop in the league tables when you add new subject areas because it takes time to actually get graduates in those areas and build reputation. If you understood how this works it's really rather simple. 3-4 years to get your first patch of graduates, 6 months to a year later alumni service calls to collect data on what you are doing, earning etc then again 3 years after graduation. You break down the averages. York along with universities like Exeter are just getting that data after beginning expansions.
Anyone that has actually been through the university system will know The Times University Guide is the only real league table worth its salt because it places a greater emphasis on research quality and teaching. The complete university guide places a greater emphasis on student satisfaction which is easy to lie about which is why you see universities like Durham in the past go from 5th to 17th to 6th over a handful of years.
Telling a much needed truth? Who actually cares that much? Like I said before if you care more about how a building looks than the quality of the people teaching in it then that's really quite sad. You don't pay tuition fees to take selfies you pay them to learn. If you care about taking selfies over learning then university probably isn't for you, York or otherwise. As you are jumping between buildings and league tables why ignore the fact that York was named the 8th best university in the world under 50 years of age and the best in the UK beating out the likes of Warwick in 2014 or the numerous other awards and accolades.
Again if you don't want to be a student there and you aren't a troll then don't apply there and move on with your life. They aren't going to close the university down just because you personally find it aesthetically unpleasing.
Imperial is pretty ugly, save for Queens Tower and that one building on Exhibition Road that isn't even pretty it just has the uni name written on it...!
Original post by Voi
Sure but there is a reletionship between how prestigious a university is and how it looks on the outside. The further up the league table you go the better quality / more attractive buildings there is. Greenwich is just an exception to this. I can't imagine people would view Oxford in the same light if it were relocated to a council estate.
Not really... Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial and UCL all have their fair share of ugly architecture. Google Oxford's Zoology or Engineering department, or any part of Imperial that isn't the RSM.
Original post by 27FT
Why should it matter what a uni looks like? York is still a top university regardless. And if you're the type of person that chooses where to apply based on aesthetics than perhaps you're applying for the wrong reasons.
Aesthetics are an important part of any university. Firstly, they tell you a lot about the university, the way it handles its finances, how much it cares about its appearance to the outside world and therefore its reputation and how much it values the comfort of its students. Secondly and most importantly a university's aesthetics play an important part in creating an environment that is conducive to learning for its students.....
Aesthetics might not be vital to a university but they are very important, I think.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Voi
Sure but there is a reletionship between how prestigious a university is and how it looks on the outside. The further up the league table you go the better quality / more attractive buildings there is. Greenwich is just an exception to this. I can't imagine people would view Oxford in the same light if it were relocated to a council estate.
You don't know how far from the truth this is.....
UCL's School of Pharmacy is a good example. It is probably one of the most run down, under funded, 'ugly' campuses in this country.
I should think that the opposite is true. I think that universities that are lower in the league tables tend to look better than the ones in the top. The one's in the top have nothing to prove. the ones in the bottom have to work hard to attract students and part of that is spending money and making the university look good.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by CookieButter
Aesthetics are an important part of any university. Firstly, they tell you a lot about the university, the way it handles its finances, how much it cares about its appearance to the outside world and therefore its reputation and how much it values the comfort of its students. Secondly and most importantly a university's aesthetics play an important part in creating an environment that is conducive to learning for its students.....
Aesthetics might not be vital to a university but they are very important, I think.
Aesthetics might not be vital to a university but they are very important, I think.
I don't think that's necessarily true though. Many universities at the top of the league tables tend to not bother so much with aesthatics of buildings and prefer to spend money towards the things that are actually important when judging a university, funding the courses and top lecturers. Oxford and Cambridge are two of the oldest educational institutions in the world, let alone the country. Of course they're architecture will be different, as different campuses would have been built in different eras. This as well as the history and traditions in these universities would appeal most students.
The annual York bashing thread...
I went to York uni. It has some ugly buildings but also some pretty places, as people have already posted. There was the lake, the quiet place and other greenery. I loved my time there. Even Central Hall (the UFO type building) has a certain charm when you're there (although I would have preferred to graduate at the Minster instead of there!). I stayed in the old Vanbrugh (one of the oldest buildings on campus) and enjoyed it.
Just because it's not a pretty uni, doesn't mean it's not a good uni. And the city centre more than makes up for the not-so-nice buildings on campus. I go back there every year for a sports thing and look forward to it every time
Only been to the swimming pool on the new campus, so can't say much about that
I went to York uni. It has some ugly buildings but also some pretty places, as people have already posted. There was the lake, the quiet place and other greenery. I loved my time there. Even Central Hall (the UFO type building) has a certain charm when you're there (although I would have preferred to graduate at the Minster instead of there!). I stayed in the old Vanbrugh (one of the oldest buildings on campus) and enjoyed it.
Just because it's not a pretty uni, doesn't mean it's not a good uni. And the city centre more than makes up for the not-so-nice buildings on campus. I go back there every year for a sports thing and look forward to it every time
Only been to the swimming pool on the new campus, so can't say much about that
Cambridge is pretty nice altogether - but has anyone seen Churchill College Cambridge? Supposedly stylised on Churchill's cigar boxes... Google it!
Original post by luckyeightyeight
Cambridge is pretty nice altogether - but has anyone seen Churchill College Cambridge? Supposedly stylised on Churchill's cigar boxes... Google it!
Agreed, had to spend a night there during an open day trip with my 6th form, half of us (the scientists) were put there and the other half got to stay at Pembroke!
It was like a car park and definitely in need of a facelift, the green 'trims' on the buildings were discoloured and the wooden window frames had seen better days. This can be seen on the Street View images, don't look at the old Google Images!
That being said the rooms were very big with a large bay window which you could sit in, and the dining hall was impressive.
I didn't know about the cigar boxes - I always thought it was named after Winston Churchill who always wanted a specialist science institution after he heard about MIT in another Cambridge...
Robinson isn't exactly a looker either, their attempt at a 'Redbrick' institution I guess but ironically it has the most private school students there I heard!
(edited 7 years ago)
Nottingham is usually known for being one of the nicer campuses, and for the most part this is true:
Trent building - the most well known
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8330/8386619709_b9f51100a5_b.jpg
Student's union:
http://www.nottingham21.co.uk/images/NB00627.JPG
The older halls are nice:
http://edenison.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p296437926-3.jpg
https://thetab.com/blogs.dir/19/files/2015/04/Hugh_Stewart_Hall.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/University_Park_MMB_88_Lenton_Hurst.jpg
While others are disastrous:
https://www.studentcrowd.com/media/cache/subject_header/media/image/1431541114_found.jpg
https://thetab.com/blogs.dir/19/files/2014/10/Sherwood-Hall-540x407.jpg - Don't know what the black brick was all about.
You won't find this one in the prospectus - never been in there, don't know what goes on in it:
http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/04/45/2044508_32a81773.jpg
I'm not an engineer but I feel sorry for those who have to navigate this one - it appears to be one long building which is all interlinked? Wrong, there are 4 different staircases/entrances you have to go in/out of to get to another part.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/University_Park_MMB_57_Coates_Building.jpg
I personally think the environment and atmosphere does make a difference, psychologically. One of the things I enjoy between lectures is simply going for a walk round the lake and enjoying some fresh air and plenty of green space and you feel better afterwards.
Not been there but York's buildings may not be nice but I think it makes up for it seeing from the lake and green space. I wouldn't want to be in a crowded polluted city 'campus' with little green space or quiet areas.
Trent building - the most well known
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8330/8386619709_b9f51100a5_b.jpg
Student's union:
http://www.nottingham21.co.uk/images/NB00627.JPG
The older halls are nice:
http://edenison.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p296437926-3.jpg
https://thetab.com/blogs.dir/19/files/2015/04/Hugh_Stewart_Hall.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/University_Park_MMB_88_Lenton_Hurst.jpg
While others are disastrous:
https://www.studentcrowd.com/media/cache/subject_header/media/image/1431541114_found.jpg
https://thetab.com/blogs.dir/19/files/2014/10/Sherwood-Hall-540x407.jpg - Don't know what the black brick was all about.
You won't find this one in the prospectus - never been in there, don't know what goes on in it:
http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/04/45/2044508_32a81773.jpg
I'm not an engineer but I feel sorry for those who have to navigate this one - it appears to be one long building which is all interlinked? Wrong, there are 4 different staircases/entrances you have to go in/out of to get to another part.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/University_Park_MMB_57_Coates_Building.jpg
I personally think the environment and atmosphere does make a difference, psychologically. One of the things I enjoy between lectures is simply going for a walk round the lake and enjoying some fresh air and plenty of green space and you feel better afterwards.
Not been there but York's buildings may not be nice but I think it makes up for it seeing from the lake and green space. I wouldn't want to be in a crowded polluted city 'campus' with little green space or quiet areas.
(edited 7 years ago)
Dundee Uni tower building. Bloody hell that thing is ugly. 
Dundee Uni Matthew Building (the back entrance. The front has all been updated and extended for DJCAD, so people think it's all modern, but it isn't).
The Dalhousie building is alright, I suppose. But most of Dundee's buildings are quite old, since they were a college of St Andrews until 1967.
Spoiler
Dundee Uni Matthew Building (the back entrance. The front has all been updated and extended for DJCAD, so people think it's all modern, but it isn't).
Spoiler
The Dalhousie building is alright, I suppose. But most of Dundee's buildings are quite old, since they were a college of St Andrews until 1967.
Original post by bj1
Nottingham is usually known for being one of the nicer campuses, and for the most part this is true:
Trent building - the most well known
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8330/8386619709_b9f51100a5_b.jpg
Student's union:
http://www.nottingham21.co.uk/images/NB00627.JPG
The older halls are nice:
http://edenison.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p296437926-3.jpg
https://thetab.com/blogs.dir/19/files/2015/04/Hugh_Stewart_Hall.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/University_Park_MMB_88_Lenton_Hurst.jpg
While others are disastrous:
https://www.studentcrowd.com/media/cache/subject_header/media/image/1431541114_found.jpg
https://thetab.com/blogs.dir/19/files/2014/10/Sherwood-Hall-540x407.jpg - Don't know what the black brick was all about.
You won't find this one in the prospectus - never been in there, don't know what goes on in it:
http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/04/45/2044508_32a81773.jpg
I'm not an engineer but I feel sorry for those who have to navigate this one - it appears to be one long building which is all interlinked? Wrong, there are 4 different staircases/entrances you have to go in/out of to get to another part.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/University_Park_MMB_57_Coates_Building.jpg
I personally think the environment and atmosphere does make a difference, psychologically. One of the things I enjoy between lectures is simply going for a walk round the lake and enjoying some fresh air and plenty of green space and you feel better afterwards.
Not been there but York's buildings may not be nice but I think it makes up for it seeing from the lake and green space. I wouldn't want to be in a crowded polluted city 'campus' with little green space or quiet areas.
Trent building - the most well known
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8330/8386619709_b9f51100a5_b.jpg
Student's union:
http://www.nottingham21.co.uk/images/NB00627.JPG
The older halls are nice:
http://edenison.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p296437926-3.jpg
https://thetab.com/blogs.dir/19/files/2015/04/Hugh_Stewart_Hall.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/University_Park_MMB_88_Lenton_Hurst.jpg
While others are disastrous:
https://www.studentcrowd.com/media/cache/subject_header/media/image/1431541114_found.jpg
https://thetab.com/blogs.dir/19/files/2014/10/Sherwood-Hall-540x407.jpg - Don't know what the black brick was all about.
You won't find this one in the prospectus - never been in there, don't know what goes on in it:
http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/04/45/2044508_32a81773.jpg
I'm not an engineer but I feel sorry for those who have to navigate this one - it appears to be one long building which is all interlinked? Wrong, there are 4 different staircases/entrances you have to go in/out of to get to another part.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/University_Park_MMB_57_Coates_Building.jpg
I personally think the environment and atmosphere does make a difference, psychologically. One of the things I enjoy between lectures is simply going for a walk round the lake and enjoying some fresh air and plenty of green space and you feel better afterwards.
Not been there but York's buildings may not be nice but I think it makes up for it seeing from the lake and green space. I wouldn't want to be in a crowded polluted city 'campus' with little green space or quiet areas.
The tower is part of the engineering department.
Why do engineering departments seem to always have the ugliest buildings?!
Original post by Voi
I don't know about other people, but if I were around all that concrete all the time, I'd feel depressed, stuck out in the middle of nowhere - at least a bus ride away from the far superior town centre. And all that old concrete tells me that the university aren't investing the money they should be in their campus - perhaps they can't afford it? I don't mind some concrete, but there comes a point where I think OMG, you're supposed to be a top Uni, pull yourself together and start improving your campus to reflect this.
They're doing a lot of investment into the campus. All of Heslington East was built this decade, with Constantine, the newest college, being built in 2014 (I live there and love it), and Langwith in 2012. The Spring Lane Building opened this September on Hes West, a brand new teaching building where I have a lot of my lectures and seminars. They're building a new piazza on Hes East right now, and they've announced plans for two new colleges, in addition to the gradual refurbishment of most of the existing accommodation.
Yes, a lot of Hes West doesn't look too great, and there's a fair bit of concrete, but it's a relic of when the university was first built. The more modern buildings, and the new campus, all look brilliant, and the uni has proven itself by investing a lot of money into its buildings. Perhaps they're a little too eager, as people in Langwith weren't too happy about middle-of-the-night building work on the new piazza the other day, but they're certainly investing.
University of East Anglia is the ugliest university hands down. I feel sorry for anyone going there.
Yes it does matter how the uni looks. Not spending 3 years surrounded by a place that looks like poo. Especially if you're doing art, talk about soul destroying.
I would say St John's, Cambridge.
Original post by Abstract_Prism
University of East Anglia is the ugliest university hands down. I feel sorry for anyone going there.
Same architect as Christ's New Court - Cambridge
But it entirely depends on the photo:
Original post by jneill
Same architect as Christ's New Court - Cambridge
But it entirely depends on the photo:
But it entirely depends on the photo:
I don't think the second photo is much of an improvement, and the building is so obscured it almost defeats the point as you almost can't see the building haha.
Also, consider that those trees won't have leaves for most of the time you're there.
I'm sorry but brutalist architecture is really ugly 98% of the time. Sometimes it has its purpose and it can actually look refreshing but that is rarely the case (not even considering the impact on surroundings). I think people downplay the importance of good design and its impact on people. The built environment definitely changes the way we interact and feel in our everyday lives, which is why I don't think it's stupid to keep this aspect in mind when choosing a university. I think the environment is what separates Oxbridge from Imperial (in terms of overall 'hype'); it's quite difficult to get excited about studying here:
As opposed to here:
Attachment not found
(edited 7 years ago)
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