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Τhe SNFCC, SNF’s Largest Single Grant, Awarded the RIBA Award for International Excellence 2018

May 09, 2018
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announced that the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) has been awarded the international prize for architecture, RIBA Awards for International Excellence 2018.

The awards are given every two years to the most inspired and significant new buildings constructed around the globe. The SNFCC was the only Greek nomination among 62 buildings in 30 countries.

The SNFCC, designed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, constitutes an international complex for sustainability, culture, education and entertainment, housing in its premises the new facilities of the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera, as well as the 210,000 m² Stavros Niarchos Park. The SNFCC is the largest single grant of the SNF which covered exclusively the cost for its design, construction and full equipment. In February 2017, following the completion of the SNFCC’s construction, the SNF delivered the SNFCC as a gift to the Greek State and the Greek society, the legal owner of the project. At the same time, the SNF announced its commitment to continue supporting the SNFCC for the following five years, through grants totaling up to €50 million for the implementation of public programming and for covering SNFCC’s operational costs.

The announcement of the RIBA Awards for International Excellence 2018 winners comes on the heels of the RIBA jury members’ recent visit at the SNFCC, which took place on April 6th, 2018. During the visit, the jury members were welcomed by representatives of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the SNFCC, as well as representatives of the Renzo Piano Building Workshop and Betaplan, and were also given a guided tour of the SNFCC premises and the Stavros Niarchos Park.

The winner of the RIBA International Prize 2018 will be announced in December 2018.

The SNFCC has received a series of awards and distinctions that include the Platinum level LEED Certification, which is the highest possible rating for environmentally conscious and sustainable buildings. Most recently, the SNFCC was awarded the European Solar Prize for 2017, in the Solar Architecture and Urban Design category.

For more information about the RIBA International Prize, click here.