OMA's MPavilion Opens
John Hill
2. October 2017
L-R: David Gianotten, Naomi Milgrom & Rem Koolhaas ( Photo: Timothy Burgess | All photographs courtesy of MPavilion)
The fourth annual MPavilion, designed by OMA partners Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten, has opened to the public in Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Gardens.
First unveiled in June, the design by the two OMA partners lifts a metal-clad grid structure above an earthen berm, a fixed grandstand, and a movable grandstand. These elements are meant to "provoke all kinds of activities through its configurable nature" and "[relate] to its direct surroundings," in the words of Koolhaas and Gianotten.
Initiated and commissioned by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, the MPavilion will host four months of free events from 3 October 2017 to 4 February 2018. OMA's design is the fourth iteration of the temporary MPavilion, following contributions by Australia's Sean Godsell, Britain's Amanda Levete, and India's Bijoy Jain. In all cases, the MPavilions found permanent homes following their tenures in Queen Victoria Gardens.
Two sides of the MPavilion open to the lawn. (Photo: John Gollings)
The other two sides are closed off by planted berms. (Photo: John Gollings)
Supports for the floating sit within the berm and the movable grandstand. (Photo: John Gollings)
The movable grandstand can pivot to be oriented to the covered space or the lawn. (Photo: John Gollings)
The MPavilion was inspired by traditional amphitheaters (Photo: John Gollings)
Lights integrated into the grid allow for twilight performances among other free events. (Photo: John Gollings)
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