HIGHEST HONORS FOR AMERICAN ARCHITECTS

In January, the AIA announced the 2006 recipients of the Institute Honor Awards for excellence in architecture, interior architecture, and urban design. One of the architecture award recipients is the Frieder Burda Collection Museum in Baden-Baden, Germany, designed by Richard Meier & Partners Architects and Peter W. Kruse - Freier Architekt (photo by Roland Halbe Fotografie). Next week we'll take look at this and the other 29 award winners.

MADRID'S ADVENTUROUS AIRPORT

In 1930, Le Corbusier wrote that "the beauty of an airport is in the splendor of wide open spaces," yet the experience of most modern travelers is seldom "splendid." Airports are more often than not dehumanizing and labyrinthine. Now, Barajas New Area Terminal (photo by Manuel Renau) in Madrid, a joint venture between Richard Rogers Partnership and Estudio Lamela, promises to change this and establish a new standard. Writer Rachel Grossman will show us around.