Conceived as a kind of southern hemisphere Serpentine Pavilion, the MPavilion has just opened its first work, a 12×12 meter kinetic box by the local architect Sean Godsell. Using the typically restrained massing of his homes as a template Godsell has then animated the space with a fully louvered skin. The pavilion is placed in the 18th century Queen Victoria Garden with Melbourne’s high rises serving as a backdrop. To be utilized for weddings and other occasions the pavilion can match the formalness of the event and weather with a simple adjustment.

The shape shifting geometry serves as a kind of all weather veranda, creating an open airy space or closed, protected, and intimate environment given the weather conditions. The pavilion excels on the summer days, scooping up a breeze from the Port Phillip Bay and cascading it down on to the guests. The materials and color pallet are also restrained to emphasize the play of shape and light of the space.

Godsell refers to the simplicity of Australian outback shelter making to protect from the intense solar exposure as a point of design departure. The form is tucked in the morning. As the day begins the animated quality provides a gesture that is both practical, provocative, and organic– a suitable expression for an urban garden. To be moved at the end of summer, a new MPavilion will be commissioned for the next three years.

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