Architects: Studio Mumbai
Area: 17 m²
Year: 2016
Photography: John Gollings
Lead Architects: Bijoy Jain
Construction: Arup, Kane Construction
Lighting Designer: Ben Cobham / Bluebottle
Collaborators: Geoff Nees, J. David Franzke
City: Melbourne
Country: Australia
MPavilion 2016, a summer pavilion designed by Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai in Melbourne, utilizes 7 km of bamboo, 50 tons of stone, and 26 km of rope, reflecting an international movement in handmade architecture. Completed in 2016, this 16.8 m² structure showcases traditional craftsmanship and human connectedness. The pavilion features a bluestone floor from Port Fairy, Victoria, bamboo poles from India pegged with 5,000 wooden pins, and a roof constructed from Karvi plant sticks woven by Indian craftspeople over four month.
Bijoy Jain’s design includes a roof opening that connects earth to sky and a golden well symbolizing water’s importance to community. An elaborate ‘tazia’ entrance tower, inspired by Indian ceremonies, serves as a welcoming gesture.
Ben Cobham of Bluebottle designed the lighting, which activates at twilight, synchronized with a nightly soundscape by artist Geoff Nees and J. David Franzke.
MPavilion is an annual architecture commission by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, transforms Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Gardens from October to February. It hosts talks, workshops, performances, and installations before moving permanent home in Melbourne’s CBD, enhancing the city’s architectural landscape.
Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai designed MPavilion 2016, following Australian architects Sean Godsell’s 2014 design and British architects Amanda Levete’s 2015 creation.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Queens Victoria Gardens, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
