Seth Sebastian 
Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten of OMA have Finished the 2017 Mpavilion in Melbourne, Australia.
The temporary structure is motivated by ancient amphitheaters and is shaped by two-tiered grandstands — one fixed and the other moveable. Covered by a floating roof structure, the rotating grandstand allows interaction from many angles and for the pavilion to open until the garden and broader cityscape. Erected at Melbourne’s historic Queen Victoria Gardens, the arrangement puts a twist on the arrangement of ancient amphitheaters by blurring the roles of audience and actor.
Set to host a range of public cultural events, the OMA-designed Pavilion was commissioned by the Naomi Milgrom base with support in the city of Melbourne and the Victorian state government. Overhead, a two-meter-deep gridded, machine-like canopy with a protective translucent roof embeds advanced lighting technologies for the series of free public events. At dusk every evening, the interactive pavilion will delve right into an audiovisual symphony developed in cooperation with audio designer Philip Brophy and light designer, Ben Cobham of a bluebottle.
Our design for Mpavilion 2017 is intended to provoke all types of actions through its configurable nature and also materiality that relates to its direct surroundings,’ explains Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten of OMA. ‘We’re pleased that Mpavilion can function as a theatre of debate around the city and its evolution, and contribute to the ongoing civic discourse of Melbourne.’
‘Rem and David’s deep vision and insight have resulted in an extraordinary new pavilion for Melbourne.’ As the fourth-annual summer pavilion, the site will host a free, four-month application of events in October 2017 to February 2018. At the conclusion of each season, Mpavilion is moved into a permanent new home within Melbourne’s CBD, creating an ongoing legacy in the town’s architectural landscape.
H/T designboom
