A business complex in southern Turkey's Kahramanmaraş that was once chosen as the world's weirdest building is set for long-rumored demolition and make way for a square, much to the dismay of those who think that the divisive building was not that weird after all.
The 18-story Kahramanmaraş Special Provincial Administration Business Center was inaugurated in 1994, becoming the talk of the town for its distinct shape and colors. Some, including the local architects union, described the building as an "eyesore" that altered the city's skyline, while others showed sympathy for the building's modern architecture.
The building, also known as the Kahramanmaraş Finance Center, made headlines in Turkey and the world as it was listed among the top queries of the world's weirdest buildings thanks to user preferences.
Following the green light on a project by the Kahramanmaraş Metropolitan Municipality to convert a 40-decare area into a city square, demolition began in the area covering 25 buildings and 300 other units.
Buildings housing the city's courthouse, local directorate of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and several departments of the provincial police directorate had already been torn down. Demolition began Monday in the building known for its yellow, red and blue colors.
"Now we are carrying out the demolition of the building that appears as the "world's ugliest building" on Google. What prompted its demolition is that it was not multi-functional and not compatible with the silhouette of the area when adjacent buildings are concerned," Mayor Hayrettin Güngör told reporters.
He added that the municipality will gain additional funding from the contract of the demolition, which is set to be completed in four months. The overall square project is expected to be completed within two years.
The building, known as the "yellow building" by the locals, or the "ice cream cone" in reference to the city's renowned Maraş ice cream, was an important landmark for the locals, heavily used in address or location descriptions in daily life.
