Locals in Edinburgh, Scotland think that a new W Hotel being built as part of a new development literally looks like one giant poop popping up on the horizon.
The denizens of Edinburgh are making a big stink out of the architecture's suggestive aesthetic – some with relentless humor.
A petition to put googly eyes on it to mimic a life-size poop emoji has circulated online and it has received over 1,600 signatures.
"It's vital to humanize new architecture," joked one advocate.
Another quipped:
"I've never signed a more important petition."
Called the "Walnut Whip," the new 12-story hotel boasting 244 rooms will open next year as part of St James Quarter – a new four-story retail center located at the end of Princes Street that opened to the public on June 24.
However, locals gave the hotel a new moniker ahead of its 2022 opening.
The home page for the development's website boasts a photo depicting the dawning of a new day with the hotel's majestic turd-like spire dominating the Scottish skyline.
stjamesquarter.com
Architects Jestico + Whiles described the hotel on their website as:
"A bundle of 'coiled ribbons', creating a free-flowing and bold building which complement the development's masterplan".
They also said the building would:
"..feature a striking exterior façade, evoking the festival spirit of Edinburgh and creating a landmark building at the heart of the city."
"Crafted from a winding steel 'ribbon', the design has been likened to spirals of paper, a reference to the many printing presses which occupied surrounding areas in times past."
Social media users had a difficult time digesting the architectural firm's sincere description of the hotel.
When the four-story shopping area attached to the hotel flooded on Sunday due to extreme rainfall, the mockery continued.
An unofficial poll run by the Twitter account for "Crappy Cheapo Architecture" designated the Walnut Whip as the worst building of 2020.
Perhaps the addition of googly eyes on the building as suggested by the viral petition would be a slight improvement.
@skylergisondo/Instagram
@Pretefunkera/X
@bonnieblue2025/X
@Andie00471/X
