a first look at all(zone)’s groundbreaking, canopied design for the MPavilion 2022
MPavilion 2022 celebrates outdoor living
The Naomi Milgrom Foundation has released the design for its MPavilion 2022 by Bangkok-based practice all(zone), led by internationally-acclaimed architect Rachaporn Choochuey. The renders reveal a striking and bright-colored canopied structure set to bring the Queen Victoria Gardens to life starting November 17, 2022.
Experimenting with materials and forms being used for the first time in Australia, the architect has envisioned a unique and stimulating space for people to interact with MPavilion’s thought-provoking and diverse program, heading into its ninth season as a pivotal part of the city’s cultural calendar.
Choochuey said: ‘After being confined for such a long time, we began the project with the idea of celebrating ‘outdoor living’. We visualized rays of light flickering through layers of leaves that give a very relaxing ambiance—like being under a big tree. We wanted MPavilion to be a place where people could meet, enjoy and live in the moment freely. In a world where we increasingly encounter a shortage of resources and ever-changing social conditions, the lifespan of architecture in relation to its materiality should be reinvestigated. The intent of our design for MPavilion is to explore the potential of architecture to embrace a lighter and more casual spirit and become even more sustainable and engaging.’
the underlayer evokes the sunlit shimmer of leaves
using cutting-edge mesh for the first time in australia
The MPavilion (see more here) will be made from layers of bespoke, colored nets and architectural fabrics with a waterproof membrane often seen in stadiums. The membrane layer is a cutting-edge lightweight mesh supplied by French manufacturer Serge Ferrari that is as transparent as glass but ten times lighter. This barely-visible mesh, being used for the first time in Australia, allows light and color to shine through the MPavilion while keeping the structure weather-proof and minimizing its impact on the environment.
Specialist engineering consultancy TENSYS worked with all(zone) (see more here) and AECOM to apply the innovative tensile membrane to the MPavilion’s design. ‘Such efforts required pushing the limits of the physically and technologically possible, reimagining materials from across the globe in new and innovative ways,‘ said Peter Lim, Director of TENSYS.
At the close of the season, all(zone)’s MPavilion 2022 will be relocated to a permanent home for communal use. It will be the eighth MPavilion gifted to the public by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation (see more here).
top view of the canopied pavilion, exuding a casual design spirit
project info:
name: MPavilion 2022
location: Queen Victoria Gardens, Melbourne, Australia
organized by: Naomi Milgrom Foundation
architecture: all(zone)
lead architect: Rachaporn Choochuey
engineering consultancy: TENSYS
mesh membrane: Serge Ferrari
collaborator: AECOM
designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom
