As Season 11 drew to a close, we reached out to some of our recent collaborators to hear more about their experiences presenting in Tadao Ando’s pavilion.

An urban oasis nestled among the greenery of Queen Victoria Gardens, Ando’s MPavilion presented a not-so-standard venue for the Season’s artists, designers and thinkers. Half pond, half paved, the design plays with perception – bringing people together, while offering a visual reprieve from the water space to the cityscape and up to the sky. With multiform offerings, our collaborators each connected differently to the unique space, but the intimacy of the interior was a resounding highlight. 

DJ and record collector  Tom Noonan, Co-Founder of El Gran Mono with Johnny el Pajaro, brought a pićo sound system to the pavilion – alongside the Colombian, Afro Caribbean and African beats of Bellaqueo – for CALENTURA. This Latin-focused dance party was an audience favourite, starring the El Gran Mono picó,  Melbourne’s own huge, hand-painted fluorescent speaker stacks, iconic of Colombian sound system culture. 

Q: Tom, what was the community response like on the day? Have you noticed any lasting impact or outcomes from the event?
A: “We were overwhelmed by the response from the community on the day. Tadao Ando’s MPavilion provided us with the perfect platform to directly connect with our audience, and we’ve continued to see increased engagement at follow-up events. It was a beautiful experience to look out and see Tadao Ando’s MPavilion packed with such a diverse community, all dancing together and blissfully enjoying the space with El Gran Mono.”

The formidable contemporary dancer and creator of ‘Untitled (Drip)’, Amber McCartney, brought the uncanny into the pavilion, inviting audiences to connect with a strange being or ‘river monster’, who is curious to inhabit the body of water that has surfaced at MPavilion. McCartney animated voluminous garments created by designer and artist Jaxon Stickler, in a real-time choreographic experience that contrasted with the geometry of Ando’s concrete. 

Q: Amber, what was it like performing at Tadao Ando’s MPavilion?
A: “I loved moments of intimate exchange where I could create a micro-focused moment with one viewer and their varied responses. These ranged from panicked scrambling from their vantage point to staunch refusal to shift but deep connection, and the consequences of their choices that followed. I enjoyed the way Ando’s design creates a transformative, whole-world backdrop but also a frame for an interaction between a fingertip and an audience member’s shoe.”

For some collaborators, the design by Ando held particular significance. Renowned selector and Tokyo-based musical artist and DJ Chee Shimizu closed out the season at the final Dusk Til Dark music event to close the Season, bringing cosmic disco and experimental electronica to the pavilion. 

Q: Chee, what excited you most about performing at MPavilion?
A: “I studied architecture in school, so I have known Tadao Ando well since I was young. I am honoured to have been able to play in the architecture he designed. His architecture is characterised by exposed concrete, and I looked forward to seeing how the music I play contrasted with its space.”

Collaborators Katie Evans and Piera Maclean from Open House Melbourne brought OPEN Play to MPavilion – an interactive workshop and design challenge for 3 to 10s using colourful felt shapes to design gardens and playgrounds inspired by Ando’s pavilion.

Q: Katie and Piera, what was the community response like from kids & families on the day?
A: “Taking inspiration for Ando’s MPavilion, the kids had their imagination stretched and challenged. They were designers, architects, landscape architects and more, firstly developing their designs and then putting them into action using felt cutouts. It’s workshops like this that are so important for young people and families to participate in, and take inspiration from buildings like Ando’s, to see how the next generation of problem solvers will go.”

As Season 11’s collaborators shared their works with Melbourne, they were connected to new audiences, inhabiting Ando’s unique setting with projects that inspired discussion, play and awe. If you would like to explore more about MPavilion, you can subscribe here, or follow us on Instagram @mpavilion where we’ll be revisiting highlights from the past Season.