The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced the winners of its 2019 Honor Awards. From David Adjaye's National Museum of African American History and Culture to BIG’s TIRPITZ Museum, nine projects have made it to the winning list.According to AIA, the 2019 Architecture program celebrates 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.Here’s a look at the nine projects and their description from AIA’s jury:  Mahlum Architects’ Arlington Elementary School in Tacoma, Washington“An exploration of the spatial possibilities that emerge when schools are envisioned as living, breathing organisms, this Tacoma, Washington, elementary school eschews basic assumptions and promotes a new model of civic practice in education,” as per AIA.Hariri Pontarini Architects’ Casey House in Toronto, Ontario, Canada“A much-needed extension and addition for a specialized healthcare facility serving those living with HIV/AIDS, Toronto’s Casey House represents a new prototype for hospitals,” as per AIA.Confluence Park in San Antonio, Texas by Lake | Flato Architects + Matsys“A destination for learning and recreation, the park is a piece of the country’s largest environmental restoration project and an accessible gateway to outdoor activity,” as described by AIA.Crosstown Commons in Memphis, Tennessee by Looney Ricks Kiss“Reviving a retail distribution center that had stood abandoned since the early 1980s, this 1.3 million-square-foot vertical urban village in Memphis has transformed urban blight into a vibrant community,” as per AIA.Restoration of the Rotunda at the University of Virginia by John G. Waite Associates, Architects, PLLC“This restoration of the symbolic center of the University of Virginia — widely considered Thomas Jefferson’s single most important architectural achievement — relies on the highest level of historic preservation and building conservation care,” as per AIA.Barkow Leibinger’s Smart Factory in Hoffman Estates, Illinois“Standing out among the bland office parks and faceless warehouses along I-90 just northwest of Chicago, the Smart Factory houses a prototypical showroom of advanced machine tools used to fold and shape sheet metal,” as per AIA.Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture by The Freelon Group (part of Perkins+Will), Adjaye Associates, Davis Brody Bond, and SmithGroup“The culmination of a decades-long journey toward commemorating black history and culture, the new museum establishes strong connections to its site on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and the nation’s long-overlooked African American heritage,” as per AIA.OJT’s Starter Home* No. 4-15, Saint Thomas/Ninth in New Orleans, Los Angeles“The continuation of the architect’s Starter Home* initiative, which delivers entry-level homes to historic urban neighborhoods that are quickly gentrifying, Saint Thomas/Ninth renegotiates existing site conditions in New Orleans to maximize residential density,” as per AIA.TIRPITZ Museum by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group in Blavand, Denmark“A sanctuary situated on a dramatic war-history site on Denmark’s west coast, this museum has transformed a never-completed German bunker into a groundbreaking cultural complex,” as per AIA.Click on the slideshow for a sneak peek at the projects. https://www.blouinartinfo.com/              Founder: Louise Blouin Read more