Rem Koolhaas & David Gianotten / OMA’s MPavilion 2017 gifted to Monash University

Image courtesy Monash University

We’re thrilled to announce that MPavilion 2017, designed by world-leading architects Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten of OMA, will soon have a new home at Monash University! This is the fourth MPavilion in a series of six to be gifted to the city by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation. With assistance from City of Melbourne, the relocation from its temporary site at the Queen Victoria Gardens to its new home in Clayton is already underway, and is set to open on Tuesday 8 May.

Commenting on the announcement, Naomi Milgrom AO, founder of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, said: “The relocation of Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten’s MPavilion to Monash University ensures it will continue to be a dynamic incubator, where ideas about architecture, design and creativity are encouraged and nurtured. I’m extremely pleased that it will carry on inspiring our young practitioners.”

Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten of OMA commented: “We are pleased that OMA’s MPavilion 2017 will be relocated to one of Melbourne’s universities; places of knowledge and debate. MPavilion will engage and support the development of Monash University and the City of Melbourne. We look forward to seeing it in its exciting new context.”

David Gianotten, Naomi Milgrom and Rem Koolhaas at MPavilion 2017. Photo by Timothy Burgess

Monash University president and vice-chancellor Professor Margaret Gardner AO said the MPavilion would be located at the front entrance of the Clayton campus near the new Learning and Teaching Building, and close to public transport and parking. Commenting on the relocation, she said: “MPavilion is an exciting addition to the diverse array of performance, teaching and learning spaces available at Monash. As a unique space for activities and events, it will provide an invaluable asset for the benefit of the surrounding community. I am delighted that this innovative example of contemporary design will be situated at our Clayton campus.”

Arron Wood, Acting Lord Mayor of City of Melbourne said he was pleased the relocation would provide yet another high-profile site, in keeping with its predecessors: “MPavilion is a unique public/private partnership led by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation and the City of Melbourne. The program has helped cement Melbourne’s reputation as the architecture and design capital of Australia.”

MPavilion 2017. Photo by Bec Capp

The announcement of the relocation follows the closure of MPavilion’s most successful season to date—due to popular demand, MPavilion 2017/18’s summer season was extended, and closed on Sunday 11 February. It welcomed more than 117,000 visitors and 477 free events over 133 days, engaging more than 550 collaborators including cultural institutions, architects, artists, musicians, dancers, choreographers, scientists, designers and more.

Each year, MPavilion is gifted to the city following its season in the Queen Victoria Gardens. MPavilion 2014, designed by Australian architect Sean Godsell, permanently resides in the gardens of the Hellenic Museum; MPavilion 2015, designed by British architect Amanda Levete of AL_A, is located at a park on Collins Street, Docklands; and MPavilion 2016, designed by Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai, India is now in Melbourne Zoo.

The announcement also follows the recent unveiling of MPavilion’s next architect, with the commission for MPavilion 2018 awarded to internationally renowned Spanish architect and educator Carme Pinós of Estudio Carme Pinós. Read more about next year’s MPavilion here.

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