The Arts Council has congratulated Grafton Architects on winning the major prize at the inaugural World Architecture Festival Awards in Barcelona. Grafton Architects was awarded the prize for their new building, Luigi Bocconi University situated in the heart of Milan. Shelley McNamara, a co-director of Grafton Architects with Yvonne Farrell, was the first architect elected to Aosdána in 2006.
The World Architecture Festival, held this year in Barcelona, is a unique event celebrating the finest work from the world's greatest architects. This Award comes on foot of Ireland’s highly acclaimed contribution to this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, which included the Grafton architects project as part of a wider exhibition of Irish architecture.
Speaking today Claire Doyle, Head of Visual Arts and Architecture said: "The Arts Council congratulates Grafton Architects on winning this very significant international award. This recognition of the architects' commanding university building in Milan demonstrates that Ireland houses the very best of international artists and shows that the quality of their work continues to occupy centre stage in world architecture."