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Indian designs pavilion in Australia

Last Updated 01 December 2016, 19:08 IST

A ‘summer architecture pavilion’ designed by Indian architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai has opened in Queen Victoria Gardens in Melbourne, Australia. It is the third such pavilion commissioned by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation and is open for a four-month programme of more than 400 free public events from October to February next.

The MPavilion, as it is called, has been built by Australian builders Kane Construction and features a bluestone floor bought from a quarry in Port Fairy, Victoria.

Encapsulating Bijoy Jain’s ongoing interest in traditional craftsmanship and human connectedness, the 16.8 square metre MPavilion comprises seven kilometres of bamboo, 50 tons of stones and 26 kilometres of rope and was constructed using Indian building methods.

The pavilion introduces Australia to ‘karvi’ panels which, similar to a wattle and daub form of construction, are constructed using a traditional Indian technique, whereby a mixture of cow dung and earth is tied to the bamboo structure and covered in waterproof white lime.

The karvi panels are used on the pavilion’s awning and roof and have been developed by Bijoy and his team of craftsmen in India over the past six months.

According to Bijoy, the panels are integral to the pavilion, which attempts to express the connection between earth, sky and the shared gravity that connects all humans.

A tazia-like entrance tower welcomes guests to the pavilion, and specially made lighting is featured which was designed by Ben Cobham of Bluebottle. Activated at twilight every night, the pavilion will be lit in-sync with a specially commissioned nightly soundscape by artists Geoff Nees and David Franzke.

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(Published 01 December 2016, 17:15 IST)

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