'Why are all those new buildings so ugly?'

Apartments on South Boulevard greet the sidewalk with two floors of parking.  Photo: Tom Low, Civic by Design

The topic is an eye-catcher and, thank goodness, keeps catching eyes: Why do so many of the new apartment buildings going up in Charlotte's fast-redeveloping neighborhoods all look alike? And look, um, not all that attractive?

The latest chapter in this civic conversation came Tuesday, with a two-part punch. Three local architects were guests on "Charlotte Talks," an interview show on WFAE, Charlotte's local public radio station. Listen to the show here.

Tuesday evening Tom Low, one of the guests, held a public forum, "Bland Charlotte," at his monthly Civic By Design discussion group.

Low and others have written and spoken in recent months about their concern that speedy growth and development, especially in the South End area adjacent to the city's only light rail line, is sub-par in urban design and architecture.

PlanCharlotte.org, the publication I run at the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, has run several  articles on the topic:

• Trying to answer: Why are all these new buildings so ugly?
• Concerned at pace of development, planning commission weighs in
• For better designed development, we're going to need a better code
• South End eyes raising the bar for design

Ditto, other local media outlets:

• Fighting back against ugly buildings in Charlotte
• Designers to blame for uninspiring developments
• Watch out for 'tyranny of the normal,' planner warns

Tuesday night, Low showed a series of depressing photos of apartment complexes, mostly but not exclusively in South