Description:

MPavilion is Australia’s leading architectural commission and design event, created by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation. Annually, an internationally acclaimed architect is engaged to design an experimental pavilion in Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Gardens. Over the summer, it hosts a free program of hundreds of events, talks, performances, workshops and installations to encourage conversation, collaboration and experimentation. MPavilion 2022 was designed by all(zone), a female-led architecture studio based in Bangkok, Thailand, directed by Rachaporn Choochuey.

The brief for MPavilion 2022 was to create an exceptional architectural space and dynamic platform that actively engages with the urban landscape. With hundreds of thousands of visitors entering the structure, it was important that MPavilion 2022 be accessible to all while also catering to the varied events that take place throughout the summer season. Additionally, there needed to be a space to provide simple hospitality. Finally, the brief stated that the structure be entirely dismountable and transportable to enable relocation to its new permanent home at the end of the season.

all(zone) envisioned MPavilion 2022 as a light, colourful and joyful shelter that naturally encourages gathering. Realised as a vibrant, fabric-based canopy open on all sides, MPavilion 2022 stands out in its surroundings as an architectural feat welcoming intentional and incidental visitors alike to enjoy MPavilion’s rich and diverse programming.

all(zone)’s progressive and sustainably-focused approach to architecture is manifested through their dedication to ‘the art of living lightly’. MPavilion 2022's canopy comprises three-layers of hardy fabrics which explore the potential of tensile architecture as an innovative solution to minimise material waste. The uppermost layer is a brightly coloured fishing net, giving the structure a tactile quality. The middle layer is crafted from an STFE membrane fabricated by French manufacturer Serge Ferrari. As transparent as glass but 10 times lighter, this weather-proof polyarylate mesh has never before been used in Australia. The lowermost layer comprises a waffle of fabric that moves with the breeze and creates dappled light, evoking the relaxing feeling of resting under trees. This form is supported by a solid steel structure and houses a practical kiosk to provide hospitality and storage. The light-weight materials and modular framework allow the structure to be easily disassembled for relocation to a permanent public home.

A conceptually and ethically anchored design with people at its heart, all(zone)’s MPavilion 2022 brings the community together under its canopy to celebrate the diverse and accessible array of creative and cultural opportunities the city has to offer. Furthermore, MPavilion 2022 is a stand-out example of how material experimentation in architecture can create safe and inviting civic spaces that push the agenda for the use of more sustainable materials.