PHOTO: Royal House

The architect Leopoldo Gil Cornet, architect of the Institución Príncipe de Viana and professor at School of Architecture of the University of Navarra, received from the hands of the Infanta Elena the Rafael Manzano Martosaward of Classical Architecture and Restoration of Monuments, for his project developed over more than 30 years in the Royal Collegiate Church of Roncesvalles (Navarra). The award, endowed with 50,000 euros, was presented during a ceremony at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando.

Leopoldo Gil (Barcelona, 1952) has directed multiple projects, including the monumental complex of Santa María de Ujué and the Romanesque church of San Andrés de Learza, and the project restoration of the walls of Pamplona.

He has also received several awards, such as the National Award for the Restoration and Conservation of Cultural Heritage from the Institución Príncipe de Viana (1998) and the award International European Union of Cultural Heritage Europa Nostra (2012).

Convened by Richard H. Driehaus and the School of Architecture of the University of Notre Dame (Indiana, USA), the award Rafael Manzano Martos of Classical Architecture and Restoration of Monuments aims to value the contribution of a professional to the field of architecture, both in the restoration of monuments and urban ensembles of artistic and historical value, as well as in the execution of new works.

For Antonio Bonet, director of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, Gil Cornet combines in his project the tradition and the "most timeless sense of architecture" and has assured that it is a "right" recognition to "revitalize the university architectural ensemble" of the Royal Collegiate Church of Roncesvalles.

For his part, Richard H. Driehaus, patron of the award, considers this restoration a "gift" and hopes that this project will be an "incentive" for other classic Spanish heritage sites to be preserved.

The origin of this award, to which 31 prestigious architects have presented their proposals, is to be found in the figure of Rafael Manzano Martos. This architect, academic and professor of History of Architecture, was the 2010 winner of the Eighth award The Richard H. Driehaus Prize for Classical Architecture, also promoted by Richard H. Driehaus, through the School of Architecture of the University of Notre Dame of Indianapolis.

This award is considered one of the most important recognitions in the world for a professional career linked to classical architecture and restoration. Coinciding with the submission of the aforementioned award in the United States, Richard H. Driehaus announced the creation of a new award in Spain with the name of Rafael Manzano Martos, in defense of Spanish urban heritage and the Spanish architectural tradition.