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Sydney Morning Herald
16-06-2025
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
Council to decide if Tadao Ando's pavilion is global artwork or expensive risk to public safety
The MPavilion series is spearheaded by philanthropist and retail mogul Naomi Milgrom in partnership with the City of Melbourne. Architects pitch their ideas, the winning design is built and open for a year before the structures are eventually dismantled and relocated to permanent homes across Melbourne and Victoria, such as Melbourne Zoo and universities. Ando's pavilion is the 10th in the series and Milgrom has said it will be the last, with its stay already extended for a year longer than usual. Many of the country's top architects have rallied around the plight of the pavilion with more than 2240 signatories on a petition calling for the council to keep Ando's structure in place permanently, including Victorian government architect Jill Garner, consul-general of Japan in Melbourne Tokuro Furuya and president-elect of the Australian Institute of Architects David Wagner. Wagner said there was a precedent for famous buildings being constructed as temporary structures but being retained and becoming world-famous landmarks – such as Gustave Eiffel's 1889 Eiffel Tower in Paris and Sir Edwin Lutyens' 1919 Cenotaph in Whitehall in London. 'It's not in Melbourne's best interest to remove the MPavilion,' he said. 'It's a remarkable piece of architecture by an internationally renowned architect, and we're fortunate to have the custody or stewardship of such a wonderful building.' Agenda documents for Tuesday's meeting show that council staff are concerned about the implications of allowing what was meant to be a temporary structure to remain in the heritage-listed gardens. 'Allowing the pavilion to remain for an extended period beyond the initial agreement could set a precedent for the lifespan of other temporary buildings in public spaces,' the documents state. The council paid $300,000 in funding and $50,000 in-kind support each year for each MPavilion, with $25,000 kept as a security to be provided once the Naomi Milgrom Foundation removes the pavilion and remediates the site. 'Whilst it has significant architectural merit, the MPavilion's enclosed design and expansive concrete perimeter walls raise safety, visibility and maintenance concerns,' the agenda documents state. 'The pavilion walls preclude through-views and movements across the site – this presents potential risks of vandalism of the structure and risks to public safety.' Agenda documents raise concerns that Ando's pavilion is climbable, its blank external walls are susceptible to tagging and graffiti and 'the design not being consistent with best-practice gender-equity place principles'. The Naomi Milgrom Foundation has said if the five-year extension is granted, it would be responsible for all ongoing maintenance and security of the space at no cost to the council. A foundation spokeswoman said Ando had been briefed to design a temporary structure. Loading 'This pavilion reflects Tadao Ando's signature use of concrete and geometric forms in dialogue with nature,' she said. 'If an extension is not granted, the pavilion will be removed from Queen Victoria Gardens. However, its removal would mean the loss of a globally significant work of architecture and a treasured civic space for Melbourne.' Council management has recommended Ando's pavilion is given another one-year extension until June 30, 2026, and community consultation is undertaken to determine whether the MPavilion should be allowed to remain until 2030. 'I hope the pavilion has touched your hearts as well, and that it may continue to serve the community in its current location forever,' Ando said in a submission to the council.
The Age
16-06-2025
- General
- The Age
Council to decide if Tadao Ando's pavilion is global artwork or expensive risk to public safety
The MPavilion series is spearheaded by philanthropist and retail mogul Naomi Milgrom in partnership with the City of Melbourne. Architects pitch their ideas, the winning design is built and open for a year before the structures are eventually dismantled and relocated to permanent homes across Melbourne and Victoria, such as Melbourne Zoo and universities. Ando's pavilion is the 10th in the series and Milgrom has said it will be the last, with its stay already extended for a year longer than usual. Many of the country's top architects have rallied around the plight of the pavilion with more than 2240 signatories on a petition calling for the council to keep Ando's structure in place permanently, including Victorian government architect Jill Garner, consul-general of Japan in Melbourne Tokuro Furuya and president-elect of the Australian Institute of Architects David Wagner. Wagner said there was a precedent for famous buildings being constructed as temporary structures but being retained and becoming world-famous landmarks – such as Gustave Eiffel's 1889 Eiffel Tower in Paris and Sir Edwin Lutyens' 1919 Cenotaph in Whitehall in London. 'It's not in Melbourne's best interest to remove the MPavilion,' he said. 'It's a remarkable piece of architecture by an internationally renowned architect, and we're fortunate to have the custody or stewardship of such a wonderful building.' Agenda documents for Tuesday's meeting show that council staff are concerned about the implications of allowing what was meant to be a temporary structure to remain in the heritage-listed gardens. 'Allowing the pavilion to remain for an extended period beyond the initial agreement could set a precedent for the lifespan of other temporary buildings in public spaces,' the documents state. The council paid $300,000 in funding and $50,000 in-kind support each year for each MPavilion, with $25,000 kept as a security to be provided once the Naomi Milgrom Foundation removes the pavilion and remediates the site. 'Whilst it has significant architectural merit, the MPavilion's enclosed design and expansive concrete perimeter walls raise safety, visibility and maintenance concerns,' the agenda documents state. 'The pavilion walls preclude through-views and movements across the site – this presents potential risks of vandalism of the structure and risks to public safety.' Agenda documents raise concerns that Ando's pavilion is climbable, its blank external walls are susceptible to tagging and graffiti and 'the design not being consistent with best-practice gender-equity place principles'. The Naomi Milgrom Foundation has said if the five-year extension is granted, it would be responsible for all ongoing maintenance and security of the space at no cost to the council. A foundation spokeswoman said Ando had been briefed to design a temporary structure. Loading 'This pavilion reflects Tadao Ando's signature use of concrete and geometric forms in dialogue with nature,' she said. 'If an extension is not granted, the pavilion will be removed from Queen Victoria Gardens. However, its removal would mean the loss of a globally significant work of architecture and a treasured civic space for Melbourne.' Council management has recommended Ando's pavilion is given another one-year extension until June 30, 2026, and community consultation is undertaken to determine whether the MPavilion should be allowed to remain until 2030. 'I hope the pavilion has touched your hearts as well, and that it may continue to serve the community in its current location forever,' Ando said in a submission to the council.
ABC News
08-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Melbourne Zoo's Sumatran tiger sent to dentist over cracked canine teeth
If there is anything more heart-racing than being caught in the eye of the tiger, it must be being caught in the mouth of one. That was the experience of one Melbourne dentist this month, who was called to get between the jaws of one of nature's fiercest predators. Hutan the tiger weighs 110 kilograms and had to be sedated for two hours. ( Supplied: Zoos Victoria ) David Clark had been brought in for dental work on Hutan, one of Melbourne Zoo's two 15-year-old Sumatran tigers, when it was discovered a third tooth also needed attention. For Dr Clarke, a specialist animal dentist who usually works on cats and dogs, it was a significant departure from the normal nine-to-five — a 90-minute procedure on an apex predator. "Coming out to do a tiger is … something you could never imagine you were going to do," he said. Hutan's injuries included cracks to his two lower canine teeth — a pair of 7.5 centimetre shredders capable of effortlessly cutting through muscle and sinew. A root canal procedure involves removing a dead nerve to remove pain from a damaged tooth. Two hours under anaesthesia and three root canals later, Hutan's jaws were recovering back their biting best. They were injuries which could be fatal in the wild but were easily handled in a zoo — if a little confronting for the dentist working on them. Zookeepers believe Hutan cracked his canines while chomping bones. ( Supplied: Zoos Victoria ) Zoo officials believe they were likely damaged while Hutan chomped through bones. "You're suddenly face-to-face with this incredibly powerful animal," Melbourne Zoo's life sciences manager for carnivores Laura Weiner said. " Yet, in that moment, you're focused on something as small and delicate as a tooth. " After a groggy wake-up, Hutan was reportedly soon back to regular habits: exploring his habitat, enjoying the sunshine and grooming himself. Sumatran Tigers are considered as a critically endangered species in the wild. ( Supplied: Zoos Victoria ) He is one of two Sumatran tigers living at Melbourne Zoo, both born in 2010. Sumatran tigers are critically endangered, with fewer than 400 left in the wild.
NDTV
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Sara Tendulkar's Melbourne Holiday Had It All, From Koala Spotting To Coffee Sipping
Sara Tendulkar has been having the time of her life under the Australian sun. The social media personality has been recently exploring Australia wherein she was seen going town hopping from Brisbane to Queensland and Melbrourne. The 27-year-old biomedical scientist shared a glimpses of her Australian vacation that saw her doing all things touristy like going to spot koalas in the zoo, watching kangaroos chilling in their natural habitat, capturing the seasonal vegetables available in the city including everything from gourds to peppers and zesty lemons, and sipping on a hot cuppa coffee as she watched the word go by behind the glass door of a coffee shop. If you are bitten by the travel bug watching Sara Tendulkar sipping on the perfect coffee roasts and watching Australian koalas perched atop trees; here are must have experiences as a tourist in Melbourne in sync with Sara's itinerary. Just like Sara did, don't forget to visit the Melbourne Zoo located within Royal Park in Parkville to watch the koalas lounging around. If spotting kangaroos is on top of your list while in Melbourne; there isn't a better place to spot them chilling in their habitat like Sara at Healesville Sanctuary and Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park. To treat your eyes, senses and appetite to a whole bunch of fresh vegetables ranging from hot peppers to pumpkins and beyond; you should head to the Melbourne Market, Fruita Frehs Queen Victoria Market and more. Sara Tendulkar's Queensland diaries are a photo frame worthy and how.
