As blogged on Departures.com, buildings are works of art in their own right, which at this point is a long-standing tenet, proved by museums, old houses of parliament, or even a particularly exciting town hall. The Getty Museum or the Musee d’Orsay are perfect examples of structures that are just as artistically notable as the impressionist paintings hanging within.

Some of the world’s grandest hotels have inhabited famed artistic buildings, while other properties have built new architectural masterpieces starting from the ground floor. That’s one of the things that makes beautiful hotels so remarkable—they’re art we get to experience in real-time and architecture we can spend the night in.

The design and architectural detailing that has gone into our 2019 Legend Award stunning building honorees is impeccable. And it’s worth noting that there’s a distinct underlying theme of sustainability within the design work. This new-age architecture is especially keen on harvesting rainwater for reuse and qualifying for LEED certification.

These hotels, museums, and retail structures were designed by celebrated architects, and the majority were unveiled within the last year. For the design and architecture-loving traveler, these Legend Award honorees should top your travel list:

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