Bringing his distinctive style to Queen Victoria Gardens, this Summer's MPavilion showcases beautifully constructed concrete, pure geometries, and water. These elements are commonly found throughout Ando's work globally, including the Chichu Art Museum, the Church on the Water, and Museum SAN, to name a few.

Ando possesses a unique ability to maintain a consistent style and objective in his designs — emphasizing the natural environment — regardless of the context and typology. With the MPavilion being one of his smaller-scale projects, it's interesting to experience how these ideas are scaled down and still communicated successfully.

The raw materiality and reflective water enhance and spotlight the natural surroundings of the gardens, with strategically limited yet highly considered viewpoints outward towards the foliage and sky. Paired with the simple form, visitors experience a sense of emptiness and silence, highlighting the interplay of light and wind and creating a holistic and peaceful ambiance.

This year's MPavilion presents a stark contrast to the previous one — a bright orange and highly textured canopy designed by All(zone). Both pavilions share a focus on filtering light into the space, but each takes a distinct approach to achieve this goal.

Which one do you prefer?