MPavilion, created by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, is a leading architectural commission. Annually, an acclaimed architect is engaged to design a pavilion in Melbourne to host a five-month design festival of free public events. To commemorate its tenth year, prolific Japanese architect Tadao Ando was invited to design MPavilion 10, his first ever Australian project.
MPavilion 10 reflects Ando’s signature use of geometric interventions in nature and precise use of concrete. Conceived as a dynamic meeting place, Ando describes his design as a blank canvas, “an architecture of emptiness, that in its silence lets light and breeze enter and breathe life into it. A place that resonates with the environment and blossoms with infinite creativity.”
MPavilion 10 strives for spatial purity by employing the geometry of circles and squares. A 14.4-metre aluminium-clad disc, resting on a central concrete column, serves as the canopy, while offset squares create two entrances that lead to the centre of the pavilion. Concrete walls of varying lengths partially enclose the space, evoking a tranquil sanctuary reminiscent of traditional Japanese walled gardens. Long horizontal openings running the length of the north and south walls provide a visual dialogue, connecting views of the cityscape and parklands to MPavilion's interior. The symmetrical internal arrangement is half paved, and half reflecting pool, creating a mesmerizing mirroring of the pavilion canopy, sky, city, and bordering nature.
Beyond the physical structure, MPavilion 10’s serene and contemplative design serves as the perfect stage for Melbourne’s community to come together to engage in dialogue, exchange ideas, create connections and reflect on the urgent urban and civic concerns of today. Ando’s desire for the pavilion to be a living memory by “creating a sense of eternity within Melbourne. An experience that will last forever in the hearts of all who visit” is truly fulfilled.
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