Indian architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai has unveiled the design of his 2016 MPavilion for the Naomi Milgrom Foundation.

The pavilion, which will be built in Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Gardens in October, will exemplify Jain’s interest in the concept of “lore” and traditional, artisanal building techniques. It’s also designed to have an elemental and sensorial quality.

In contrast to last year’s pavilion designed Amanda Levete Architects, which experimented with new materials, Studio Mumbai’s pavilion will be an exploration of handmade architecture and the craft of building.

A model of the 2016 MPavilion designed by Studio Mumbai.
A model of the 2016 MPavilion designed by Studio Mumbai. - Studio Mumbai’s pavilion is the third in an annual series of pavilions commissioned by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, inspired by London’s Serpentine Pavilion concept. The first, designed by Australian architect Sean Godsell, was gifted to Melbourne and is now permanently located at the Hellenic Museum. The second pavilion, designed by London-based Amanda Levete Architects, has been permanently relocated to a park in Docklands. © Studio Mumbai

A traditional Indian tazia (ceremonial tower) reaching 12 metres high will sit on top off the roof of the pavilion, positioned off-centre above an oculus in the ceiling.

“The tower or ‘tazia’ is an imaginary building that reaches deep into the stars, so it is otherworldly, and through it you can see the stars, the sky, other dimensions,” Jain said. “I want the MPavilion to be the scaffolding that provides a creative space that suspends visitors between earth, ground and sky.”

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