The MPavilion & the Serpentine Pavilion

Tuesday, 2 December 2014

▲ Melbourne’s Southbank Arts Precinct has a new temporary structure in the Queen Victoria Gardens, the MPavilion. Sponsored by Naomi Milgrom this year’s Sean Godsell designed temporary building will be followed by another new design each year for four years. You can read more about it at the Design Files. The pavilion will be open until 1 February 2015 with a busy programme of events and talks open to the public. There’s even a daily 8 am opening ceremony.

The MPavilion is unashamedly inspired by the annual Serpentine Pavilion creation in London’s Hyde Park. Since it’s walking distance from my place in London I’ve been a regular visitor to the each new pavilion in recent years.

▲ Here’s the 2013 pavilion by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, described as a ‘great latticework cloud that looks part-garden trellis and part-tartan,’ a Guardian interview with the architect thought it was ‘London’s largest climbing frame.’

▲ The 2009 Serpentine creation also looked like it was designed for fun. Japanese architects (again) Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA conjured up a metal cloud. I was there for the opening and asked what was going to happen when skateboarders discovered it. It looked like a skateboarder’s wet dream.