Geometric concrete forms and a reflective pool will define the 10th MPavilion in Australia, which is being designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando.
MPavilion 10, which is Japanese architect Ando's first project in Australia, will occupy a site in Queen Victoria Gardens in the centre of Melbourne.
It has been designed as a deliberately pared-back space suitable for gathering and contemplation, evoking a traditional Japanese walled garden.
"The design began with a desire to create a sense of eternity within Melbourne's garden oasis," said Ando.
"I wanted to create an experience that will last forever in the hearts of all who visit. I imagine an architecture of emptiness, that lets light and breeze enter and breathe life into it. A place that resonates with the environment, becomes one with the garden, and blossoms with infinite creativity," Ando continued.
"MPavilion 10 is designed to encourage encounters between people, the natural world, and endless dialogue."
Once complete, MPavilion will be defined by Ando's signature use of geometric concrete forms. Its plan, which takes the form of two offset squares, will create two entrances on opposite sides.
Enclosing the structure will be tall concrete walls, creating the feeling of a walled garden. At its heart will be a large central column topped by a 14-metre-wide, aluminium-clad canopy.
Inside, the pavilion's floor will be half-paved and half covered in water, creating a reflective pool that is intended to mirror the pavilion's canopy and surroundings.
Meanwhile, horizontal openings along the north and south walls of the pavilion will outline views of downtown Melbourne and the landscape.
"Tadao Ando's architecture is remarkable because it radically affects the way we perceive the world around us," said MPavilion commissioner Naomi Milgrom.
"We look forward to seeing how visitors, designers, artists, and others will respond to this dramatic and serene space, as well as the creativity it will generate."
The completion of MPavilion 10 this summer will mark the beginning of a five-month design festival at Queen Victoria Gardens and the 10th edition of the MPavilion festival.
The festival was created by Milgrom as part of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation in 2014. Previous designers of the pavilion include Bangkok architecture studio All(zone) and Australian architect Glenn Murcutt.
Ando is developing MPavilion 10 with Australian architect Sean Godsell of Sean Godsell Architects, who designed the inaugural structure in 2014.
As with previous years, at the end of each MPavilion season, the structure will be relocated to a permanent home within the city.
The visuals are courtesy of Tadao Ando Architect & Associates.