diff --git a/gds/elements.py b/gds/elements.py
index ab65758..0652d5b 100644
--- a/gds/elements.py
+++ b/gds/elements.py
@@ -72,4 +72,18 @@ class SRef(Element):
     # tree
     parent   = None
 
+class ARef(Element):
+    position = (0,0)
+    
+    # positions of last instance in X and Y direction
+    bounds = [(0,0), (0,0)]
+    # number of instances in X and Y direction
+    size   = (0,0)
+
+    structure = ""
+    
+    transformation  = Transformation()
+
+    # tree
+    parent   = None
 
diff --git a/gds/library.py b/gds/library.py
index 93a7c51..28c0f39 100644
--- a/gds/library.py
+++ b/gds/library.py
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ class Library(object):
 
         for key, value in self.structures.items():
             
-            for element in value.references:
-                if isinstance(element, SRef) and isinstance(element.structure, str):
+            for element in value.references:             
+                if isinstance(element.structure, str):
                     # try to resolve link
                     try:
                         ref = self.structures[element.structure]
diff --git a/gds/parser.py b/gds/parser.py
index 0d2556c..9c1ff18 100644
--- a/gds/parser.py
+++ b/gds/parser.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ class errors(Enum):
     EXPECTED_STRING   = "textelement is missing text"
     EXPECTED_BOXTYPE  = "expected BOXTYPE"
     EXPECTED_SNAME    = "expected SNAME"
+    EXPECTED_COLROW   = "expected COLROW"
+    AREF_MISSING_POINTS = "aref needs three points"
     INVALID_PATHTYPE = "pathtype must be in range [0,2]"
 
 class Warnings(Enum):
@@ -142,6 +144,8 @@ class Parser(Reader):
                 self.parse_text()
             elif self.token.ident == Records.SREF:
                 self.parse_sref()
+            elif self.token.ident == Records.AREF:
+                self.parse_aref()
             else:
                 self.skip(self.token.len)
             
@@ -162,7 +166,6 @@ class Parser(Reader):
             element.plex = self.read_int()
             self.next_token(True)
 
-
     def parse_boundary(self):
         element = Boundary()
         if not self.next_token():
@@ -367,13 +370,50 @@ class Parser(Reader):
         if self.token.ident != Records.XY:
             raise ParserError(errors.EXPECTED_POINT)
 
-        element.point = self.read_coord()
+        element.position = self.read_coord()
         self.skip(self.token.len - 8)
         
         if not self.next_token() or self.token.ident != Records.ENDEL:
             raise ParserError(errors.EXPECTED_ENDEL)
         
         self.structure.references.append(element)
+    
+    def parse_aref(self):
+        element = ARef()
+        element.parent = self.structure
+
+        if not self.next_token(): 
+            raise ParserError(errors.EXPECTED_SNAME)
+        
+        self.parse_element(element)
+
+        if self.token.ident != Records.SNAME:
+            raise ParserError(errors.EXPECTED_SNAME)
+        
+        element.structure = self.read_ascii(self.token.len)
+        
+        self.next_token(True)
+        self.parse_strans(element.transformation)
+
+        if self.token.ident != Records.COLROW:
+            raise ParserError(errors.EXPECTED_COLROW)
+
+        element.size = (self.read_short(), self.read_short())
+
+        if not self.next_token() or self.token.ident != Records.XY:
+            raise ParserError(errors.EXPECTED_POINT)
+
+        if self.token.len != 3*8:
+            raise ParserError(errors.AREF_MISSING_POINTS)
+
+        element.position = self.read_coord()
+        element.bounds[0] = self.read_coord()
+        element.bounds[1] = self.read_coord()
+
+        if not self.next_token() or self.token.ident != Records.ENDEL:
+            raise ParserError(errors.EXPECTED_ENDEL)
+        
+        self.structure.references.append(element)
 
 def parse_file(file, progress_func=None):
     parser = Parser(file, progress_callback=progress_func)