April 2001 | Eyesore

Commentary on architectural blunders in monthly serial.

This clusterfuck of commerce -- formerly the Virginia Tech Horticulture Farm -- can be found in Christiansburg, Virginia. As well as Home Depot and Target, the ensemble also includes a K-Mart, a Wal-Mart, a TJ Maxx, and a Lowes mega-hardware store. Okay, apart from the sheer overwhelming necrotic gnarliness of this vista, is there any question that America needs quite so much discount shopping? Think of it as the gateway to a new Dark Age. Thanks to reader Ruth Babylon, who provided the shot.