The Tenth MPavilion in Australia Will Have a Design by the Remarkable Tadao Ando

Tadao Ando, the Pritzker Architecture Prize winner, was commissioned by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation to design MPavilion 10 in Melbourne’s central Queen Victoria Gardens. MPavilion has worked with leading architects to establish a forum for discussing pressing urban, social, and architectural challenges over the past few years.

MPavilion is Australia’s preeminent annual architecture commission and design festival, and Ando is the seventh prominent foreign architect to have his first project in Australia commissioned by the organization.

“Every year, MPavilion seeks out architects with a fresh perspective on design and a compelling social goal, then gives them unlimited powers to create whatever they can imagine. I’ve always admired Tadao Ando’s dedication to site specificity and his conviction that building can change people’s lives for the better “, as Naomi Milgrom divulges.

“We are excited to bring Ando’s work to Australia for the first time and see his MPavilion become an essential part of Melbourne’s artistic and social life as we gear up for the 10th iteration of the MPavilion.” She continued

Why Tadao Ando?

Tadao Ando, one of the most prominent architects working in Japan today, is renowned for his bold geometric intrusions into natural settings and his confident, precise use of concrete. By accepting this project, Ando joins a group of illustrious architects Naomi Milgrom assembled to probe the relationship between art and modern life.

The Church of the Light (1989; Osaka, Japan), the Pulitzer Arts Foundation (2001; St. Louis, USA), the Chichu Art Museum (2004; Naoshima, Japan), the 21 21 Design Sight (2007; Tokyo, Japan), and the Bourse de Commerce— Pinault Collection (2020; Paris, France) are just a few of his many acclaimed creations.

2021 MPavilion Design. Photo by: MAP Studio. Courtesy of MPavilion

The Prestigious MPavilion

The Naomi Milgrom Foundation hosts the yearly event, which acts as a cultural lab for locals to gather and learn from one another through shared experiences. The annual five-month festival will feature free public programs in 2023, including discussions and seminars, music events, child workshops, and much more, all emphasizing design. Soon, we can expect an announcement about the 2023 themes, which Tadao Ando’s work will influence.

Since its debut in 2014, the initial nine MPavilions have attracted over 900,000 visitors and held over 3,500 free events. Naomi Milgrom Foundation donates each event to the city of Victoria and moves it to a new permanent public spot after each season.

2022 MPavilion Design. Photo by: John Gollings. Courtesy of MPavilion

As Tadao Ando put it, “The MPavilion was inspired by the designers’ search for an eternal setting in Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Gardens. The landscape will linger on in people’s minds and hearts forever, making it timeless even though it has no lasting physical form.”

Tadao Ando’s Most Notable Projects

Tadao Ando, former professional boxer, Pritzker Prize winner, and self-taught architect, is known for his innovative use of concrete, natural light, and airflow. Thanks to his wanderings, he now has a much deeper understanding of building design.

He tries to instill the social necessities of the contemporary era while maintaining a relationship with past generations or an area’s traditional environment and cultural climate. The poetic component of silence in Ando’s work should be appreciated as a cohesive and forward-thinking architectural art form. Some of Tadao Ando’s more notable works are included below.