MPavilion by bijoy jain opens in melbourne

indian architect bijoy jain’s design for the 2016 MPavilion has been fully realized, with the sprawling bamboo structure now situated in melbourne’s queen victoria gardens. now in its third edition, the summer pavilion is commissioned annually by the naomi milgrom foundation, a not-for-profit organization that initiates and supports public design and architecture projects.

UPDATE: on march 31, 2017, it was announced that the pavilion is to be gifted to the people of melbourne and will be relocated from its temporary site at the queen victoria gardens to its new home at the melbourne zoo in parkville. melbourne zoo director kevin tanner said the MPavilion would be incorporated into new landscaping in existing open space just off the main drive between the heritage carousel and the japanese garden.

all images © john gollings

this year’s MPavilion is constructed from 7 kilometers of bamboo, 26 kilometers of rope, and 50 tonnes of stone. the end result sees a dynamic structure measuring 12 meters in height, with an earthen roof that pays homage to the australian landscape. the oversized canopy covers a space where programs, workshops, performances and installations will be hosted during its four-month residency in the park. an aperture at the center of the roof symbolizes the connection of the earth to the sky, while below sits a golden well that represents the importance of water to place and community. an elaborate ‘tazia’ entrance tower, commonly used in indian ceremonies, sits next to the pavilion as a welcoming gesture.

architect bijoy jain speaks about his MPavilion design
video by tin & ed

the architectural response captures jain’s ongoing focus in addressing traditional craftsmanship and human connectedness. the pavilion is placed on a locally sourced bluestone floor, while the bamboo poles used for the underside were specially imported from india and connected with 5,000 wooden pegs and tied together with rope. furthermore, indian craftsmen wove together sticks from the ‘karvi plant’ during a four-month period to create the slatted panels seen on the roof.

the bamboo poles used for the underside were imported from india

architect bijoy jain of studio mumbai comments: ‘MPavilion is a space for the people of melbourne to gather, talk, think and to reflect. my objective has not just been to create a new building, but to capture the spirit of the place by choosing the right materials, respecting the surrounding nature and working collaboratively with local craftspeople to share design and construction ideas.’

the summer pavilion presents a free, four-month public program

naomi milgrom AO, chair of naomi milgrom foundation commented: ‘bijoy’s handcrafted mpavilion is a calming and thoughtful space which will inspire the people of melbourne. as a utopian space for the creative industry and community, mpavilion continues to challenge the way we see and engage with the world by encouraging design debate and cultural exchange.’

take a look at the 2015 structure — designed by amanda levete — and our previous coverage on the design development of bijoy jain’s pavilion here.

over 400 talks, workshops, performances and installations will be held from october to february 2017