It's well known that we have some spectacularly ugly buildings in Edmonton, many of them constructed during this latest economic boom.

You don't have to be an architect to figure that out, but I spoke to a couple of them for their feedback. They agreed so long as they weren't named.

A couple of high-rise residential tower projects near the Save-On-Foods store on 109 Street near Jasper Avenue earned a thumbs-down.

The architects noted they are cookie-cutter designs - not entirely attractive ones at that. They also suffer because, unlike more attractive buildings, there are few amenities built into the main floors.

Better-designed complexes try to put in light commercial developments such as coffeeshops, tailors and the like.

Another residential project to draw criticism from some people is Peregrine Point, at 105 Street and 97 Avenue. It's easy to see it suffers in part because it features a mixture of brick and insulated industrial metal siding.

The Baccarat Casino at 10128 104 Ave. has been called an architectural blight. Its owners would like to build a spiffier one but city councillors seem dead set against it.

So do some area residents who live in some rather ugly-looking apartments at about 104 Avenue and 104 Street. The low-slung grey things don't even look completed.