On-site preparations for bringing a cultural gift to life. L-R: Dr Julie Wells, Vice President Strategy and Culture; MPavilion Parkville architect Glenn Murcutt AO; philanthropist Naomi Milgrom AC; Rose Hiscock, Director of Museums and Collections.
MPavilion Parkville: a cultural gift to the University of Melbourne, The University of Melbourne, 26 October 2022
Thanks to a generous philanthropic cultural gift from the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, University of Melbourne students, academics and the communities within the City of Melbourne will benefit from MPavilion Parkville, a vibrant space encouraging cultural exchange, lively talks, performances and workshops from early 2023.
Designed by Glenn Murcutt AO, and relocating from its original location at Southbank’s Queen Victoria Gardens, MPavilion Parkville will continue the Foundation’s legacy of commissioning stunning architecturally designed pavilions as places championing art, design, and architecture in shaping better cities and communities.
MPavilion Parkville will be a space for the university and local communities to come together for events, seminars and dialogue. Through a curated programme designed around key events in the University of Melbourne calendar, and a series of programs for students and communities, MPavillion Parkville aims to elevate face-to-face collaborative experiences.
University of Melbourne Vice-President (Advancement) Nick Blinco said MPavilion Parkville would allow students and the wider City of Melbourne community to build meaningful networks and engage in educational and cultural experiences on-campus.
“MPavilion Parkville joins other significant cultural assets gifted to the University. These cultural gifts express not only the exceptional generosity of their donors, but an ambition to engage our students and academic and professional staff with our broad range of offerings that bring the world’s best talent in art, design, music and drama to our doorstep for everyone to enjoy.”
“Such philanthropic acts from donors like Naomi Milgrom are key to further enhancing our student experience here at the University of Melbourne. MPavilion Parkville will be a gift that keeps on giving – we look forward to hosting meaningful social interactions and collaborations in the new year.”
Naomi Milgrom AC said: “Glenn Murcutt’s MPavilion 2019 embodies the characteristics we’ve all come to love about his buildings, and provokes a conversation about how Australian design can lead a growing international dialogue about the future of cities. Our gift to the University ensures that debate and exchange sparked through an MPavilion will continue at its permanent location at University Square, Parkville.”
“Glenn’s climate-responsive MPavilion is an extraordinary example of a design practice that embodies the frontiers of sustainability as well as creating a space to congregate – it is the perfect setting for stimulating student programming. I am incredibly proud that the MPavilion legacy will continue to inspire our young practitioners and researchers, not just within the university’s architecture and design courses, but across all disciplines.”
MPavilion Parkville will open doors to welcome students and the Melbourne community with a line-up of free cultural events and interventions and installations in Summer 2023.
