The Selfridges store is one of Birmingham’s most distinctive landmarks, with its wavy structure and honeycomb exterior.
But travel guide magazine Lonely Planet has placed the Bull Ring shopping centre store in its “craziest building category.”
The iconic building, which opened in 2003, was described as a “peanut with acne” by the publication.
But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as TNT magazine praised the store, describing it and many others as “creative modern architecture.”
Despite divided opinion, it has been named each year as one of the 100 stores to visit by industry magazine, Retail weekly.
Designed by Jan Kaplicky of Future Systems, who also architected the Lord’s cricket ground media centre, the store is covered by 15,000 spun aluminium discs.
However, Lonely Planet gave credit where it was due, praising Birmignham as a “vibrant, cultural hotspot” in its 2009 travellers’ guide issue.
The guide also hailed the Blackpool Illuminations, which was named as one of the top 10 “kitschiest sights.”
