Are these Auckland's ugliest buildings?

Auckland has some of the most iconic and beautiful buildings in New Zealand - the Sky Tower, the Auckland Art Gallery, and the Ferry Building.

But a combination of bad planning and bad design has led to some unfortunate eyesores, according to a professor of architecture.

Newshub asked Auckland University architecture professor Dr Bill McKay to pick out the ugliest buildings in Auckland.

Hobson Street apartments

Are these Auckland's ugliest buildings?
Photo credit: Getty

The entire street is lined with a "bleak" stretch of buildings that appear to be transplanted from some miserable Soviet industrial city.

"They have given apartment buildings a bad name because they're like battery farms for raising hens," Dr McKay says.

Britomart Car Park Building

Are these Auckland's ugliest buildings?
Photo credit: Google Streetview

Plonked on Quay Street, the Britomart Car Park Building sticks out like a giant robot dropping.

"Once you leave the good pedestrian area you find this carparking building with a gym in it," Dr McKay told Newshub.

Beach Street Apartments

Are these Auckland's ugliest buildings?
Photo credit: Google Streetview

These buildings were controversial as soon as they were erected - a giant pile of shoebox apartments built on top of carparks that block the views behind them.

"Scene 1,2, 3. They went up around 20 years ago and you have to walk around it, you can't even walk through it," McKay says. "You see dopey stuff like that happening."

8 Quay St

Are these Auckland's ugliest buildings?
Photo credit: Google Streetview

Passing by the Ports of Auckland towards Okahu Bay and Mission Bay is a little row of greasy fast-food shops.

"It's like the outskirts of Hamilton," Dr McKay says.

"You think we're the biggest city in the country and we're doing a little strip like this."

Newshub.