Candidates For 'Worst-Dressed' Buildings

Faux finials and bogus balconies are just a few of the unsightly details defacing some newer buildings in Milwaukee.

1 minute read

August 16, 2006, 11:00 AM PDT

By Deborah Myerson


They say devil is in the details -- which appears especially to be the case for some modern buildings in Milwaukee bedeviled by clumsy architectural embellishments, according to Whitney Gould.

"It's these little things - the oversights of otherwise decent architects, the corner-cutting that results from "value engineering," or, conversely, the failure to leave well enough alone - that often make the difference between a good building and a great one, or that taken together define a real turkey."

Awkward arches and misplaced mechanical systems appear to be a plague on these beleaguered buildings. Fortunately, she also finds occasional relief in better examples offered by other modern and restored historic structures.

Sunday, August 13, 2006 in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Front of Walmart store with sign.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network

The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

May 7, 2025 - Inc.

Public Market sign over Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington with pop-up booths on street.

Seattle’s Pike Place Market Leans Into Pedestrian Infrastructure

After decades of debate, the market is testing a car ban in one of its busiest areas and adding walking links to the surrounding neighborhood.

7 hours ago - Cascade PBS

Yellow and silver light rain train in downtown Long Beach, California.

The World’s Longest Light Rail Line is in… Los Angeles?

In a city not known for its public transit, the 48.5-mile A Line is the longest of its kind on the planet.

May 15 - Secret Los Angeles

Man reaching for young girl sliding down playground slide.

Quantifying Social Infrastructure

New developments have clear rules for ensuring surrounding roads, water, and sewers can handle new users. Why not do the same for community amenities?

May 15 - Happy Cities