Ana Carolina Mönnaco

Ana Carolina’s work draws on the beauty of our imagination and brings to life the ideas we most want the world to see. Her illustrations invite the viewer to experience a space in time through story and emotion, drawing them beyond the surface and into the richness of a grander vision. Most notably with such works as The Oceanic Performing Arts Center (Jurors Award 2008) and her iconic rendering of The Coral Helix (Hugh Ferriss Memorial Prize winner 2007).

Born in Curitiba, Brazil, Ana developed a love for the arts at an early age. She went on to study architecture and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2002, receiving the prestigious Luther Lashmit Design Award and Traveling Scholarship.

In 2002 Ana joined Morris Architects in Orlando, Florida. During her time at Morris she worked on more than 50 projects in countries including the US, Brazil, China, Singapore, Dubai and the Caribbean. In 2007, she relocated and opened the firm’s first satellite office in Nashville, Tennessee. That same year Ana Carolina Mönnaco became the first woman and youngest recipient of the Hugh Ferris Memorial Prize, the singular highest achievement award in the field of architectural illustration, for her rendering of a 360º living coral reef exhibit entitled The Coral Helix.

In 2009, Ana announced the creation of her Nashville based design studio, MÖNNACO, dedicated to providing inspired illustrations that capture the imagination to clients across the broad spectrum of industry.