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Belgian Guy Documents Ugly Houses He Sees And They’re So Bad, It’s Hilarious (30 New Pics)
Interview With Author
Let’s talk architecture and let's talk Belgium. What do these two things have in common? Well, you probably need no introduction of Belgium being a land of architectural wonder, with several shifts in design throughout its history creating a rich cross-section of European heritage and design. From Art Nouveau to modernism, the country is known for nailing its architecture.
Except we’re talking the other side of the coin—”Ugly Belgian Houses”—an enigmatic, humorous and eccentric project run by Hannes Coudenys. The project is dedicated entirely to the uglier the better buildings, dwellings, and all kinds of roofs over one’s head.
With 139k Instagram followers, “Ugly Belgian Houses” follows the motto which reads “Better to be ugly than to be boring,” and you can totally see why. But still, don’t try this at home, everyone!
Psst! After you’re done, be sure to check out our previous posts with Belgian architectural mishaps and faux pas here and here.
More info: Instagram | Facebook | UglyBelgianHouses.tumblr.com
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Hmm
RELATED:
#2
Tried To Call The Architect For An Explanation But He Was Bus-Y
Linus Nilsson 4 years ago
Only if it works, and you could use it as an escape vehicle..
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#3
Residence Evil
denzoren 4 years ago
I like it...I like the placement of the flowers also...like "I'm angry...but look at my cute flowers"
I'mNotARoboat 3 years ago
Gah! Please rotate so the sloped sides are opposite their current positions. I'm not sure how you describe what I'm visualising but the "outer" sides of the windows should be in line with the garage doors. I don't think I can handle this thread.
To find out more about “Ugly Belgian Houses” and how it evolved since we last featured the project a year ago, Bored Panda talked to its creator Hannes Coudenys. Hannes is a media personality with many projects, from owning Hurae creative digital studio to running “Ugly Belgian Houses” and “Like My Ride,” to vlogging on YouTube.
Hannes told us that “Ugly Belgian Houses” has amazingly evolved throughout the year, amassing 139k followers. “I have been visiting a lot of the houses and had some really nice conversations.”
“Meanwhile I am working on a second edition of the book, so I have to call all the owners again,” Hannes said and added “I’ve just had a call with two people who hate me and don’t want their house in my book. I can understand that,” he smiled.
#4
The Ugly Belgian House Is Slowly Wrapping Around Its Prey
A B C 4 years ago
And the left part of the yellow/brown one looks super angry. It gives me Jabba the Hutt vibes.
Load More Replies... Thomas brennan 4 years ago
painting it all white might save this a little...although why oh why did they not put windows on the front wall and/or roof of the left hand extension. Also no need to make the drain pipe your main feature on that wall. Could have easily tucked it along the edge of the wall to hide it
Emma Perkins 4 years ago
The only problem with the drain pipe is that it has to be along the front somewhere (although not smack dab in the middle) so that it's at the lowest point of the roof
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#5
I Want To Brick Free
Hilary Mol 4 years ago
That's when the bricklayers bricked themselves into a floor (with every color change) and had to knock a hole in the wall to get back out.
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CLEMSONFAN 4 years ago
looks like they took all the leftover supplies and threw it together in a day
Eric Forster 4 years ago
All in all, it was all just bricks in the wall All in all, you were all just bricks in the wall
#6
They Recently Discovered The Great Garage Of Giza
Kim Lionessa 4 years ago
This one is so bad, I could fall in love with it like a 3 legged puppy.
Easily Excitable Panda 4 years ago
"Wish I lived there!" - The people who live there and no one else.
When asked why “Ugly Belgian Houses” has gained almost a cult following online, Hannes believes it comes down to “The fact that we all have a certain opinion on what makes a house beautiful. Or ugly. And the fact that these opinions are only opinions.”
The author added that it seems like a lot of Belgians agree that “we have a lot of ugly Belgian houses.”
When asked about the slogan “Better to be ugly than to be boring,” which greets users on the project's Instagram page, Hannes said that “In Belgium, you have a lot of suburbs and housing projects that all look the same and are in fact very boring.” He added: “Something you see in Holland as well. I prefer ugly than these boring creatures.”
Hannes would describe a typical ugly Belgian house as something with “its own quirky uniqueness; A special roof, a special stone, a special decoration, we want to express ourselves via our house.”
#7
Housemoji
#8
Minimalism In Belgium
Ara 4 years ago
After harnessing all of that sweet solar energy, you don't want to squander it by having too many windows
GoodCatto 4 years ago
Almost everyone's Minecraft house is like this unless they played creative
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Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
Come on - it's got a roof, walls, a window and a door. What more do you need?
#9
Neighbors, Everybody Needs Goth Neighbors
#10
So Where Is Your Architect? Over The Top
Hannah Edwards 4 years ago
Ugh! The tacky, massively over sized, neoclassical porch is hideous. The strange relief sculptures where windows should be are totally out of place and the eagles have a Third Reich vibe. Plus I’m not sure what those weird things are on the roof of both the house and garage. Apart from that it’s lovely.
Night Owl 4 years ago
You have a good eye, I missed it (I tried not to stare at the picture for too long - it's weird and ugly and has too much going on for my taste)
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#11
Cut My House Into Pieces
Sean Kirkwood 4 years ago
cut my house into pieces.... this is my home resort Excavation Short ceiling Don't give a f--k if I cut my house, even
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agnivesh mishra 4 years ago
Somehow I feel a connection to it!? Does it reflect my incompleteness?!
Mónica Elisabeth Sacco 4 years ago (edited)
Ouch... Shoot the architect/Builder/contractor/whoever did it!
#12
Meh
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
Architect: "I'll stick a massive shelf here just in case it comes in handy later"
Cheri Aline Sydney 4 years ago
If the fencing, above the first level, was decorative and more elaborate, i believe it would give the home a much more appealing look ~
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#13
It Is In The Darkness That One Finds The Sh**e
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
And now the rest of the neighbourhood doesn't want windows either
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#14
Purple Pain
Martha Meyer 4 years ago
This one is just plain stupid and actually takes away valuable living space.
H Edwards 4 years ago
That was my first thought - why would you choose to reduce the space you are entitled to for the sake of a stupid design?
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Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
Perfect for anyone who really wants to live inside an optical illusion
#15
When You’ve Seen The Trailer And You Know The Movie Sucks
#16
Just Another Brick In The Wall
Sarah 4 years ago
Because that white part that looks like the sky shining through at the bottom isn't sky; it's white paint.
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A B C 4 years ago
I tried to find it via google picture search, but google's interpretation of this is "commercial vehicle". Guess it's a little hard to recognize this as a house.
AngelWings 4 years ago
Anyone remember shrek 2 the fairy godmothers house? But it had a factory attached to it? Yea thats this
#17
Peak #uglybelgianhouses
Marcellus the Third 4 years ago
Yes, because you're free to do what you want. This means you have a very wide scale, from excellent to atrocious enough to consider living in the UK or Holland with their super uniform rows upon rows of identikit tiny houses.
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Allan Lester 4 years ago
Yes. Was once a burger joint. Needs a little work, though.
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Barbara Cochrane 4 years ago
Built by the Old Country relatives of the founder of White Castle.
#18
Door-E Is That You?
Sarah 4 years ago
"There'sh shomething shticking outta my head..." [falls over]
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#19
Mummy, I’m Home
Nicola Dimigen 4 years ago
I think they wanted it o look like the Sydney Opra House? Thats what I'm getting from the pyramid in the corner, and the shapes.
#20
Statue Of Misery
#21
Haters Will Say It’s Photoshop
Gustavo Vanni 4 years ago
When you and your neighbor don't agree on how your building should look like
righttoopinion 4 years ago
If they say that it's photo-shopped tell them to check it out through fotoforensics.com. It's free. That will show them.
#22
Charlerwa?
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
The cats are cute but the angels on the garage roof could be lethal in a strong wind
Vicky Zar 4 years ago
I do think they are ... what do you call it? Not loose
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Shirley Heyn 4 years ago
When you have "Great Expectations" but can only afford a piece of it. . .?
#23
(Turn Around) Every Now And Then I Get A Little Bit Tired Of These Houses
#24
Is This The Real Life?
A B C 4 years ago
Looks like a large family had each of their kids decide about how to finish one quadrant of the walls. Also, what the eff happened to the almost-rightmost window (facing towards the house number) that's almost completely bricked up/inside the house? I have questions, so many questions.
#25
Optihouse Prime
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
Can transform itself into a normal-looking house but chooses not to
Easily Excitable Panda 4 years ago
Or it's like the TARDIS, and got stuck. Except in a much more embarrassing way.
Load More Replies... Cheri Aline Sydney 4 years ago
I actually think this design is quite clever! If they would add some colorful plants, instead of just the dreary shrubs, on the two sides of the walkway, this home could look very inviting!
#26
Is This A New Jacquemus Purse?
Ara 4 years ago (edited)
Must be. Despite looking like an electricity substation, it has a street number and a letterbox
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Jean Thompson 4 years ago
I suspect the owners think this is cutting edge design. Just look at the cheeky feature of rocks and pot to add a certain "je ne sais quoi".
#27
Now That’s A Mancave
Myrtille rat 4 years ago
lol it looks like it's a wink to Massabielle grotto ( a catholic pilgrimage place in the French pyrénées) 612206-gro...2be8b4.jpg 
Katrijn Vermeiren 4 years ago
It's a Maria 'cave' like the one in Lourdes. There are a lot of them in Belgium along with normal little maria chapels.
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s. vitkovitsky 4 years ago
Well, it does look like part of it has been microwaved.
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Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
The religious statue convinces me that nothing nefarious is going on inside
#28
Ready For The Third Wave
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
Allows you to feel seasick without the inconvenience of being on water
Vicky Zar 4 years ago
I like it in a way.... not the colors, but the shape. It is something else.
Honu 4 years ago
The brick and the orange panels definitely seem to fight the shape. More glass and a cleaner finish would definitely help this building.
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#29
S**tamid
Christine Rictor 4 years ago
This house isn't ugly. It's a perfectly wonderful abode. Half an A frame. Ya'll are overly critical.
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Sarcastic Cow 4 years ago (edited)
That´s kinda cute...except the statues. Need more green, flowers, vegetables and chickens. Imagine it overgrown with ivy
Isa 4 years ago
That's what I was thinking. Take the sculptures, add green and some flowers and it will look lovely!and some outside painting(white) to cover it.
Load More Replies... Shirley Heyn 4 years ago
Well, they did need to save some building costs to buy statues for the yard. . .
Easily Excitable Panda 4 years ago
If they add a child-size pool in the back, it'll have everything!
#30
Some Houses Never Grow Up
#32
From The Movie Finding Doory
#33
Black & Why?te
Emma Perkins 4 years ago
That sweet window planter on the house to the right is winning me over
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago (edited)
The one on the right looks as if it was made from bits left over from another building
#34
Now They’ve Gone Too Farao
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
Yes, the rooms are a weird shape but you'll stay young for all eternity
#35
I Believe I Can Cry
#37
Robokot
Ludwig Michiel 4 years ago
About the caption: "kot" is Flemish (Belgian Dutch) for shed. (in an other context it can also mean student room)
#38
Cut My House In To Pieces This Is My Last Carport
#39
Nice Trick To Sell Your Ugly Belgian House
Tim Mannens 4 years ago
My parents have the same thing going on with their house. Also in Belgium offcourse.
#40
At Least The Architect Made His Point
#41
Welcome In The Neighborhoodie
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
The expensive alternative to simply buying blinds for your bedroom window
#42
Luke, I Am Your House
Kai Wee Toh 4 years ago
This house is not 'pretty', neither is it ugly. It has character, and I'd love to see the inside.
#43
Moved Back In With My Parents
#44
Clap Along If You Feel Like A Roof Without A Room
#45
It’s Blushing!
#46
A Game Of Sh*tris
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
I'm intrigued by the broken glass panel in the front door. Burglars trying to get in or owner desperate to get out?
Tarcandor 4 years ago
Most likely: the owner locked himself out, and broke the window to get back in. Burglary attempts on the front side of a house are extremely rare.
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#48
I Visited One Of The Houses For Eenbe
Ludwig Michiel 4 years ago
A little bit of context: the creator of "Ugly Belgian Houses" has a part in a show on Belgian tv channel "Eén" where he visits people to ask them to react to their house being featured on his blog.
#49
Frank Lloyd Wrong
#50
Caption This
#51
Yellow. It Ain't Me You're Looking For
#53
5 Steps To The Left, 5 Steps To The Right, Slide Real Smooth
#54
This Is My Church, This Is Where I Hurt My Heels
#55
Clap Along If You Feel Like A Room Without A Roof
#56
Don’t Think Out Of The Box. Just Get Rid Of This Box
#57
The Roof, The Roof, The Roof Was On Fire
Karin Gibson 4 years ago
Flat roofs are a pain having to replace them every 12-20 years depending on the quality of the last roofer.
#58
I’m Flabberhousted
Ara 4 years ago
This one looks like it used to be some sort of public utility; electricity substation, water pumping station, or similar.
Tarcandor 4 years ago
It is indeed.... I know this one, not too far from where I used to live. Used to be an electricity substation is a row of old miner's houses of similar width. The actual houses around it used to be just a tad bigger (in floor space, not width)
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#60
When Your Door Want Its Own House
#61
Ugly? Sink Again
#62
I Don’t Understand
#64
Designed In Autocad
#65
Blinded By The Stair Of Flights
#67
Housenumber 69
#70
Where Is The Ski Lift Please?
#74
Caption This
#84
Le Sh*teau
Add New Image
What do you think ?
WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago
Say what you want, in Belgium people have the freedom to build their houses exactly like they want it to be. In the Netherlands there are about 923 000 rules and regulations to follow when you want to design and build your own house to keep just as much civil servants busy who all are searching for something to annoy the hell out of you. "Sir, you have permission to build with white bricks, but this white is too white, you have to tear it down or paint it in the approved white." "Sir, you've painted your house white, but that's too white. Remove the paint."
Sanne H. 4 years ago (edited)
I agree that we might have a bit too much rules in The Netherlands. Then again, the Dutch “lintbebouwing” (is there a proper English word for that?) usually looks much nicer than the Belgian one (or to my opinion at least).
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Lotus Flower 4 years ago (edited)
Belgians seem to forget to build the rest of the house…a lot
Irina Sudilovskaya 4 years ago
Lol, this guy hasn't been to Russia for sure. There are whole ugly cities
Lisa-Marie Dhondt 4 years ago
We do have some very unattractive houses here. The up-side compared to America tho, is that when it’s windy ours do stay upstanding.
Bumble 4 years ago
Is anyone else cringing at each introduction? Seriously BP, sometimes there are no words needed!
H Edwards 4 years ago
The titles are lifted from the original post, BP isn't paying someone to come up with these.
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Kenny Kulbiski 4 years ago
I actually liked quite a few of these. Perhaps the interior design of some of them was responsible for the unorthodox exterior. Whatever the reason, " not my circus, not my monkey. "
WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago
Say what you want, in Belgium people have the freedom to build their houses exactly like they want it to be. In the Netherlands there are about 923 000 rules and regulations to follow when you want to design and build your own house to keep just as much civil servants busy who all are searching for something to annoy the hell out of you. "Sir, you have permission to build with white bricks, but this white is too white, you have to tear it down or paint it in the approved white." "Sir, you've painted your house white, but that's too white. Remove the paint."
Sanne H. 4 years ago (edited)
I agree that we might have a bit too much rules in The Netherlands. Then again, the Dutch “lintbebouwing” (is there a proper English word for that?) usually looks much nicer than the Belgian one (or to my opinion at least).
Load More Replies... Lotus Flower 4 years ago (edited)
Belgians seem to forget to build the rest of the house…a lot
Irina Sudilovskaya 4 years ago
Lol, this guy hasn't been to Russia for sure. There are whole ugly cities
Lisa-Marie Dhondt 4 years ago
We do have some very unattractive houses here. The up-side compared to America tho, is that when it’s windy ours do stay upstanding.
Bumble 4 years ago
Is anyone else cringing at each introduction? Seriously BP, sometimes there are no words needed!
H Edwards 4 years ago
The titles are lifted from the original post, BP isn't paying someone to come up with these.
Load More Replies... Kenny Kulbiski 4 years ago
I actually liked quite a few of these. Perhaps the interior design of some of them was responsible for the unorthodox exterior. Whatever the reason, " not my circus, not my monkey. "
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