A look at the first ten editions of the MPavilion in Melbourne, Australia
The MPavilion represents one of the most important architectural events held annually in Melbourne, Australia. The event was first launched and funded by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation in 2014, and has since brought in world-renowned architects to design a temporary structure in Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Gardens in a system similar to the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London. From Sean Goodsell’s solar panels to his Mumbai studio’s experimental bamboo structure, each pavilion explores craftsmanship and contemporary design while promoting a rich cultural program over several months before being dismantled and donated to one of the city’s parks. With the recent opening of the latter Pavilion designed by Tadao AndoIn this article, we take a look back at previous editions of Australia’s most famous annual structure.
In its tenth edition, the MPavilion was designed by Pritzker Prize winner Tadao Ando. The structure, Ando’s first project in Australia, features a distinctive geometric design in exposed concrete and is set against a landscaped backdrop. Inside the pavilion, a reflecting pool surrounded by concrete walls and an aluminum-clad deck creates a calm and intimate space. The pavilion opened on November 16, 2023 and will remain open until March 28, 2024.
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Glenn Murcutt He is the designer of the 2019 version of the MPavilion, which represents his first civic project in the city. The environmentally conscious pavilion is the sixth in the annual series. The pavilion features a crisp white structure with a stretched translucent membrane roof, which is lit from within at night, creating a lantern-like effect. Prioritizing views of the Yarra River and city skyline, the adaptable pavilion aims to showcase Murcutt’s climate-sensitive design principles.
MPavillion 2018 in Melbourne, designed by the Spanish architect Karmi pinosIt was opened in Queen Victoria Gardens in Melbourne. The origami-inspired pavilion features wings that welcome the city and a two-sided roof over ridges that house public seating. Pinos sought to create a space where Melbourne residents could connect with each other, the city and nature.
In 2017, MPavilion was designed by Rem Koolhaas And David Gianotten to Uma, marking OMA’s first full-scale project in Australia. The aluminum-clad structure, inspired by ancient stands, features a rotating stand and a floating roof, allowing it to be reconfigured for different occasions in the summer programme. Following its closing date, the pavilion has found a permanent home at Monash University, Clayton, and is the fourth pavilion to be gifted to the public by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation.
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Designed by Mumbai studio founder Bijoy Jain, the 2016 MPavilion features the “Lore” bamboo structure concept, an exploration of handcrafted architecture that emphasizes simplicity and human connection. The 18 x 18 meter pavilion, the largest bamboo structure in Australia, incorporates bamboo, rope, earth and bluestone from India and Australia. In an interview with Vladimir Belogolovsky, Bijoy Jain discusses the ideas behind the design and ways of understanding architecture as a mythical being to better understand its humanity.
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AL_A, founded by Amanda Leavitt, designed the second annual MPavilion at Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Gardens, created in the form of an artificial ‘forest canopy’ with translucent petals developed using aerospace technology. The lightweight structure is designed to sit lightly in the landscape, responding to the climate. Each petal features LED lights that activate at dusk to provide a light show synchronized with music. The pavilion has since also been donated to the City of Melbourne, contributing to the city’s growing cultural heritage.
The first version of MPavilion was designed by Sean Godsell. The pavilion, funded by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, features a simple frame covered with automated aluminum panels that open and close in response to sunlight. The innovative construction includes wall and roof panels on pneumatic arms, creating a fully automated “exterior shell” that opens and closes daily in different configurations. From the beginning, the Foundation set out to donate each building to continue revitalizing the public space within the city.
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