11 New Buildings Everyone Should See

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has picked its 2015 recipients of the Institute Honor Awards, an award that shows off the best of the best in architecture, interior architecture and urban design. The following projects prove that the future of architecture is as innovative as ever.

1. 28th Street Apartments; Los Angeles

© Eric Staudenmaier

By Koning Eizenberg Architecture, Inc.

The 28th Street YMCA had over 24,000 sq. feet of space restored to create a total of 49 units of affordable housing and support services for youths.

2. Brockman Hall for Physics, Rice University; Houston

© Peter Aaron/OTTO

By KieranTimberlake

Each face of the building is composed of a different material. From glass, aluminum to terra-cotta, these materials are used to filter daylight and solar glare as well as ensure privacy for researchers.

3. California Memorial Stadium & Simpson Training Center; Berkeley, California

© Michael O’Callahan; Proehl Studios; Tim Griffith; Jim Simmons

By HNTB Architecture

One of the biggest innovations about UC Berkeley's Memorial Stadium is that it has a seismic retrofit that allows the two halves of the stadium to move separately during an earthquake.

4. Cambridge Public Library; Cambridge, Massachusetts

© Chuck Choi; Robert Benson

By William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc.

This project restored the original library building that was designed in 1889 as well as constructing a more contemporary 76,000-square-foot building made of glass.

5. Danish Maritime Museum; Elsinore, Denmark

© Rasmus Hjortshoj; Luftfoto

By BIG | Bjarke Ingels Group

The museum had to be built underground to avoid obstructing the view of the Kronberg Castle in Elinsore, made famous by Shakespeare's Hamlet. It was also designed on a slope so that visitors are continually descending further down, mimicking a nautical environment.

6. John Jay College of Criminal Justice; New York City

© Eduard Hueber | Archphot; Brett Beye

By Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

John Jay University's Criminal Justice building is a state of the art facility that even includes a landscaped terrace. Every third panel on the building's facade is made of clear glass to demonstrate the “transparency of justice.”

7. Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology at the University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia

© Albert Vecerka

By WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism

The Center for Nanotechnology makes research activities highly visible by having the laboratories focused around a central quad. The building also has two green roofs and a 1.7-acre landscaped courtyard.

8. LeFrak Center at Lakeside Prospect Park; Brooklyn, New York

© Michael Moran / OTTO

By Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects

This project restored 26 acres of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and added a new 75,000-square foot, year-round skating and recreational facility. The rink features a canopy that protects ice from the sun and is used to light the rink at night.

9. Sant Lespwa, Center of Hope; Outside of Hinche, Haiti

© Rothschild Doyno Collaborative; Sarah Spanagel

By Rothschild Doyno Collaborative

In an effort to maintain sustainability, the Center of Hope features a roof that is shaped to collect water in a 9,000-gallon tank. The water is then treated with carbon and UV filtration systems.

10. United States Courthouse, Salt Lake City, Utah

© Scott Frances

By Thomas Phifer and Partners; Naylor Wentworth Lund Architects

The clear glass and aluminum facade of the courthouse resulted from a search for a physical symbol to express the American system of justice—strong, iconic, transparent, and egalitarian.

11. Wild Turkey Bourbon Visitor Center; Lawrenceburg, Kentucky

© De Leon & Primmer Architecture Workshop

By De Leon & Primmer Architecture Workshop

The exterior of the building seems simple, but a closer look demonstrates its intricacy and attention to detail. The distillery features a tasting room with a breathtaking view of the Kentucky river.