tadao ando's MPavilion 10 design emerges as a sanctuary in australia

tadao ando-designed structure unveiled for mpavilion 10

MPavilion, the flagship initiative of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, unveils its milestone MPavilion 10, designed by Pritzker Prize-winner Tadao Ando, in Queen Victoria Gardens, Australia. Launching on November 16, 2023, and running until March 28, 2024, the initiative’s tenth edition also marks Ando’s first ever project in Australia—reflecting his signature use of striking geometric interventions in nature and his precise, assured use of concrete. Positioned within Melbourne’s cultural and botanic garden precinct, the MPavilion 10 offers a memorable and pure structure that is in dialogue with the park setting. ‘I hope that as people visit, they allow this space to enter their hearts, and allow their senses to tune into the light and breeze interacting with them and this space. I hope for them an experience of harmony with nature, with themselves, and with others,‘ comments the architect.

all images © John Gollings, courtesy MPavilion

a sancturay-like pavilion infused wth geometry and symmetry

The spatially pure MPavilion design by Tadao Ando (see more here) features a large canopy — a 14.4-meter aluminum-clad disc resting on a central concrete column — and two offset squares that create entrances to its center. Concrete walls of varying lengths partially enclose the space to create a tranquil sanctuary reminiscent of a traditional Japanese walled garden. A long (almost 17 m x .225 m) horizontal opening running both the length of the north and south walls frames views of downtown Melbourne and the parklands, connecting the city and lush greenery of Queen Victoria Gardens to MPavilion 10’s interior. The geometric forms and symmetry are reinforced by an internal arrangement that is half paved, and half reflecting pool, which mirrors the pavilion canopy, sky, city, and surrounding nature.

aerial view of the MPavilion 10 design by Tadao Ando

more on the 10th edition in melbourne’s Queen Victoria Gardens

MPavilion 10 is free and open to the public in Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Gardens from November 16, 2023, to March 28, 2024. The program of over 150 free events with hundreds of collaborators is curated along three themes. In November and December 2023, programming will consider Memories of Place, the links between water, gardens, and changing landscapes, and how we benefit from nurturing their existence and stories. In January and February 2024, the festival will honor Craftsmanship, platforming those who practice it and the artistry and devotion involved. A Blank Canvas in March 2024 will close out MPavilion 10, celebrating Ando’s design philosophy and sparking creativity through his minimalism, masterful conception of space, and use of light, shadow, and water.

reflecting the architect’s striking geometric style and his assured use of concrete