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<\/p>\nErected in Melbourne, Australia, in 2023 as part of an annual architectural commission, the Japanese architect Tadao Ando\u2019s pavilion was intended only as a temporary addition to the city. Granted a one-year extension in March 2024, in its recently concluded second season the pavilion broke attendance records. Ando\u2019s structure is now closed and its future restas with city officials, with a decision expected by June.<\/p>\n
Since 2014 a coterie of leading architects, including Amanda Levete, Bijoy Jain, Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten, and the Australian Glenn Murcutt, have designed temporary pavilions for Queen Victoria Gardens, a park opposite the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne\u2019s arts precinct. The initiative is part of MPavilion, an annual architecture commission and cultural programme launched by the philanthropist Naomi Milgrom. From November to March (with the exception of 2020) the architect-designed structures have hosted public talks, workshops, events and much more under the MPavilion umbrella.<\/p>\n
\u2018A dialogue between architecture and nature\u2019<\/p>\n
Milgrom tells The Art Newspaper she founded MPavilion so that \u201carchitecture is not just seen but felt as part of everyday life\u201d. Often referred to as the \u201cPicasso of concrete\u201d, Ando approached the site in his signature minimalist style. The result is a beautifully proportioned open-air space on a 14 sq. m footing, topped with a circular aluminium roof, held aloft by a single voluminous column and surrounded by long slender walls cast in silky-smooth concrete. Inside, a long bench directs visitors to contemplate a shallow pool built into the building\u2019s foundation.<\/p>\n
The pavilion is a \u201cdialogue between architecture and nature\u201d, Ando said of his design in 2023. It also spoke to the public\u2014to date more than 300,000 people have stepped inside. \u201cFor some, it\u2019s been a long-awaited opportunity to experience Ando\u2019s work up close,\u201d Milgrom says.<\/p>\n
Seven of the previous eight pavilions were gifted to institutions, including universities and Melbourne Zoo. When Ando\u2019s MPavilion 10 first opened, critics questioned the viability of relocating a predominantly concrete structure.<\/p>\n
\u201cFundamentally, all the components of that building can be disassembled,\u201d the Melbourne-based architect Sean Godsell noted at the 2023 media preview. Godsell designed the inaugural MPavilion in 2014 and served as Ando\u2019s executive architect on MPavilion 10.<\/p>\n
\u2018Not relocatable\u2019<\/p>\n
According to Milgrom, from the outset the public response to MPavilion 10 has been different. The way people \u201cconnected with the space, personally and collectively shifted our thinking\u201d, Milgrom says. At the conclusion of its season, Milgrom sought an extension from Melbourne City Council, which governs the site. As a sweetener she offered to foot the bill for site security and maintenance in the off season.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
MPavilion, in Queen Victoria Gardens, is usually an annual commission that hosts public events<\/p>\n
Photo: Marie-Luise Skibbe, courtesy MPavilion<\/p>\n
Milgrom\u2019s submission included letters of support from Nicholas Serota, the chair of Arts Council England, Cameron Bruhn, the chief executive of the Australian Institute of Architects, and a statement from Ando himself.<\/p>\n
Although the motion to extend MPavilion 10\u2019s stay was carried unanimously by the council in April 2024, the former councillor Rohan Leppert stressed it was only temporary. \u201cIn 12 months\u2019 time, sadly, MPavilion at this location will come to an end,\u201d Leppert said at the time. He stood down as a councillor in October 2024.<\/p>\n
One year on, MPavilion\u2019s fate now rests with newly elected Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece and nine councillors, five of whom are new.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnlike other MPavilions, the MPavilion by Tadao Ando is not relocatable,\u201d responded a City of Melbourne spokesperson when approached for comment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Erected in Melbourne, Australia, in 2023 as part of an annual architectural commission, the Japanese architect Tadao Ando\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":88480,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3939],"tags":[4023,4021,4020,4022,77,1464,42136,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-88479","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-architecture","9":"tag-arts","10":"tag-arts-and-design","11":"tag-design","12":"tag-entertainment","13":"tag-melbourne","14":"tag-tadao-ando","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114480210929817127","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88479"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88479\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}