The fourth MPavilion, commissioned by nonprofit Naomi Milgrom Foundation, opens this week at the historic Queen Victoria Gardens in Melbourne, Australia. Revealed in June, the design of this year's pavilion, by Netherlands-based architecture firm OMA, is inspired by ancient amphitheaters. The 62-foot-by-62-foot aluminum clad multifunctional structure can transform into different configurations; one of its two-tiered grandstands rotates to accommodate various activities including art and music performances, entertainment, and events. Covered by a 6.5-foot-deep, translucent floating roof, the pavilion is embedded in a landscape made up of indigenous plants species.
“Our design for MPavilion 2017 is intended to provoke all kinds of activities through its configurable nature and a materiality that relates to its direct surroundings," noted Rem Koolhaas, Hon. FAIA, and David Gianotten of OMA in a press release. "We are happy that MPavilion can perform as a theater of debate around the city and its development, and contribute to the ongoing civic discourse of Melbourne.”
The last three pavilions were designed by Australian firm Sean Godsell Architects in 2014, Amanda Levete of London-based architecture studio AL_A in 2015, and Indian architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai last year.
Read our past coverage of this annual installation here.
