Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Traudy Pelzel and Francesco Magnani of MAP Studio have designed 2021’s temporary pavilion that was erected in Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Gardens, on behalf of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation which hosts annually a dynamic program of free events for the community, including lively talks, performances, workshops, installations, and kid-friendly experiences.
The MPavilion project has been awarded a 2023 International Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture, Design, and Urban Studies.
The design brief for MPavilion 2021 was to create not only an architectural space but a dynamic platform that actively engages with the urban landscape – a container of ideas incorporating the highest level of design thinking and experimentation.
With hundreds of visitors entering the structure each day, it was important that MPavilion 2021 be easily accessible and inviting to all.
Versatility and adaptability were also paramount in order to cater to the over 300 events of varying types that would take place throughout the 5-month season.
Additionally, there needed to be a practical space for services.
Finally, the brief stated that the structure is entirely dismountable and transportable to enable relocation to its new permanent home at the end of the season.
Dubbed the Lightcatcher, the architects imagined MPavilion 2021 as a shimmering, kaleidoscopic device, a form of urban lighthouse intended to illuminate and reflect the diverse and inclusive programming within and the landscape around it.
Open on all sides and with no specific orientation, the Lightcatcher provided absolute flexibility in the way that the space was set up and arranged for events.
MPavilion 2021 acted as an open stage with no implied or explicit division or hierarchy among participants, drawing people in and around it and welcoming intentional and incidental visitors alike.
With their design for MPavilion 2021, the studio played with the notion of an abstract volume that sat comfortably in its broader environment.
They envisaged the Lightcatcher as a powerful attractor, a stand-out display of the creative and dynamic aspects of the city of Melbourne.
An innovative mix of materials, the structure comprised a reticular steel structure in galvanized and painted tubular profiles that housed a set of panels in a mirror-finish aluminum coating.
This three-dimensional lattice was supported by four u-shaped pillars made of precast reinforced concrete.
The Lightcatcher appeared to float, suspended above the bright yellow, organically-shaped surface below.
A circular kiosk in a matching color palette provided a simple hospitality offering and storage for services and AV equipment.
The Lightcatcher truly re-energized and reinvigorated Melbourne’s creative and cultural life.
With its playful design, vibrant color palette, and iridescent quality, it stood as a beacon of joy and renewed hope, evoking a sense of delight among all who crossed its path.
With the MPavilion 2021’s season now complete, the Lightcatcher will be moved to a new permanent location within Victoria, to continue to be enjoyed by the community.
Project: MPavilion 2021 – The Lightcatcher
Architects: MAP studio
Lead Architects: Traudy Pelzel and Francesco Magnani
General Contractor: Schiavello
Client: Naomi Milgrom Foundation
Photographers: Casey Horsfield, John Gollings, Anthony Richardson, Marie-Luise Skibbe, and Instant Crush
