Oma/Rem Koolhaas & David Gianotten To Design MPavilion 2017

Image: MPavilion 2016, designed by Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai. Courtesy mpavilion.org

The Naomi Milgrom Foundation recently announced the commission for the fourth annual MPavilion in Melbourne.

Internationally recognised Netherlands-based OMA was given the commission, which will be designed by Rem Koolhaas & David Gianotten.

The announcement came as MPavilion 2016 closed on Sunday, February 18, having welcomed more than 94,000 visitors and hosted more than 487 free events over 139 days within the temporary architectural pavilion designed by acclaimed Indian architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai.

"Rem Koolhaas is one of the world’s most provocative and influential architects," Naomi Milgrom Foundation Chair Naomi Milgrom AO said, after commissioning OMA to design MPavilion 2017.

"His contribution to the cultural landscape as an urban thinker together with OMA’s multi-disciplinary approach to architecture reflects MPavilion’s desire to inspire debate about the role of design in building equitable and creative cities.”

OMA Founder Rem Koolhaas Managing Director David Gianotten said they were looking forward to the project.

"We are excited by the brief of designing a cultural heart for the city - a space of public engagement that will spark creativity and discussion, and that will act as a theatre for ideas."OMA's current track record of completed projects includes the Qatar Foundation Headquarters in Doha, Faena District in Miami, London’s Design Museum, Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow, Fondazione Prada in Milan, Shenzhen Stock Exchange, De Rotterdam and CCTV Headquarters in Beijing.

De Rotterdam. Photograph by Frans Parthesius, Courtesy of OMAMPavilion is Australia’s leading architecture commission and design event made possible through the vision of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation — and Australian philanthropist Naomi Milgrom AO. MPavilion is a philanthropic success story that has seen government, business and private sectors collaborate to bring an important new civic space to Melbourne with a strong public, industry and educational component.

MPavilion 2016 worked with more than 350 collaborators including cultural institutions, architects, artists, musicians, dancers, choreographers, scientists and designers to develop the four-month free cultural program and contributed to numerous festivals and public events including the Melbourne Festival, Confluence: Festival of India, Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts (Asia TOPA), Melbourne Music Week, White Night and the India Leadership Summit.

The event presented 63 talks and public lectures, 39 music performances, 60 gatherings and public workshops, 53 educational events focused on design and architecture and 31 children’s events. Events were spread across a number of themes including handmade architecture, creative cities, citizen science and collaboration.

MPavilion is supported by major partners City of Melbourne, the Victorian State Government through Creative Victoria and ANZ, and has received over 234,000 visitors since it’s inception in 2014.

MPavilion 2017 will be OMA’s first completed architectural commission in Australia.