I've always preferred TOTM articles over build threads. Builds generally just get too cluttered with useless posts especially on RC, it becomes too laborious to find any real information in them. The articles on the other hand are so nice and precise, it only takes a few minutes to learn nearly everything there is about a great looking tank. That being said my favourite has always been Chris Ward's tank from October 2006
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-10/totm/index.php He was one of the few to adopt the less is more approach and just let his coral grow huge (only 28 in a 273gal tank). Which to me is far more impressive than so many of these other tanks which have stuffed every square inch of their tank with name brand frags.