Each year the American Institute of Architects bestows the Institute Honor Awards, considered by many to be the highest recognition for excellence in design. The 18 architectural and interior projects that took top prizes at this year's event included some of the world's most renowned firms, as well as a few rising stars. The awards, according to the AIA, “celebrate the best contemporary architecture regardless of budget, size, style, or type. These stunning projects show the world the range of outstanding work architects create and highlight the many ways buildings and spaces can improve our lives.”
Aspen Art Museum by Shigeru Ban Architects.
Of the 18 winners, selected from roughly 700 submissions, three projects stand out: the Aspen Art Museum, a glassy volume wrapped in a woven wood screen, by the Pritzker Prize–winning Japanese architect Shigeru Ban; Grace Farms, by another Japanese Pritzker Prize winner, Kazuyo Sejima, and her firm SANAA, whose serpentine design houses a community center in New Canaan, Connecticut; and Writers Theatre in Glencoe, Illinois, by U.S.-based Studio Gang, a transparent structure that turns traditional theater design on its head.
Writers Theatre in Glencoe, Illinois, by Studio Gang.
The winners will be honored at the 2017 AIA National Convention, April 27–29, in Orlando.
