Design Leaders To Close MPavilion’s 2016-2017 season

MPavilion has announced the inspiring final design events for the MPavilion 2016-17 season, which concludes on 18 February 2017. Closing the season includes talks by eminent British architect Sir David Adjaye OBE; leading Danish architect, urban designer and writer Jan Gehl; lead curator for design and architecture at Hong Kong’s M+ Aric Chen and the return of the epic 12-hour design talkfest MRelay.

Concluding MPavilion’s 2016-17 season, the free design event highlights in February 2017 include:

MTALKS DAVID ADJAYE IN CONVERSATION WITH MICHAEL WILLIAMS:
Monday 13 February 2017, 7.00pm–8.00pm 

Eminent, highly-acclaimed and widely respected as a leading architect of his generation, British architect Sir David Adjaye OBE is coming to MPavilion for a Melbourne exclusive MTalks on 13 February. Sir David’s architectural work spans a great depth and breadth, most recently completing the National Museum of African American History and Culture, a Smithsonian Institute museum in Washingon D.C. Other works are many—from the private to the public—including the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo, the Skolkovo Moscow School of Management and Museum Contemporary Art in Denver and more.

This is a rare chance to get up close and hear from one of the world’s leading architects in conversation with Michael Williams, director of The Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas and formerly the host of the popular ABC Radio National’s cultural program Blueprint For Living.

MTALKS A TALE OF THREE CITIES: JAN GEHL IN CONVERSATION WITH ROB ADAMS AND MONICA BARONE:
Friday 10 February 2017, 6.00pm–7.00pm

Leading Danish architect, urban designer and writer Jan Gehl joins MPavilion for an MTalks on 10 February. Along with Rob Adams, director of city design and projects at the City of Melbourne, and Monica Barone, CEO at City of Sydney, Jan will discuss his fundamental interest in planning cities for people, and Rob and Monica will place these concepts in an Australian context. The talk will focus on the way in which the cities of Copenhagen, Melbourne and Sydney have addressed similar issues in very different ways. Moderated by Shelley Penn, this open and engaging chat will further expand on Jan’s vision for humanistic urbanism and how versions of his design philosophy are re-oriented in other cities.

MTALKS ARIC CHEN: DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE FROM AN ASIAN (MUSEUM’S) POINT OF VIEW:
Tuesday 7 February 2017, 6.15pm–7.15pm 

We tend to take what we know about design and architecture for granted, often based on assumptions rooted in history, culture, and geopolitics. But what happens when you change those assumptions? This talk presented by Aric Chen, lead curator for design and architecture at West Kowloon Cultural District’s M+Hong Kong will focus on how the museum aims to reveal lesser-known Asian narratives of design and architecture, while revisiting familiar global ones from the museum’s vantage point in Hong Kong, China, and Asia.

MTALKS MRELAY:
Saturday 4 February 2017, 10.00am–9.30pm 

MPavilion’s popular MRelay event, a 12 hour-long design talk-fest, returns on Saturday 4 February 2017 and is presented by Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation. This marathon day of conversations sees 32 leading Australian and International philosophers, designers, mavericks, activists, provocateurs and architects share insights and ideas around the four themes of Cultivate, Play, Pause and Narrate hosted by Peter Maddison, director of Maddison Architects and host of Grand Designs Australia; Australian artist Dr Christian Thompson; Karen McCartney, editorial director at Temple & Webster and Aboriginal activist and writer Nayuka Gorrie.

Guests will pass the microphone from one speaker to the next and explore what keeps a city ticking and the urban fabric that binds it all together. From videogaming to urban farming, civic responsibility to meditation, speakers includes Curator of Art and Design for Hong Kong’s M+ Aric Chen; Editor of i-D Australia Wendy Syfret; Founder of UK based Museum of Everything James Brett; Florey neuroscientist Julie Bernhardt and Australian furniture designer Mary Featherstone.

The MRelay 2017 themes, times and hosts will be:

● 10am–12.30pm— Cultivate: hosted by Peter Maddison, director of Maddison architects and host of Grand Designs Australia

● 1pm–3.30pm—Play: hosted by Australian-born and London-based artist, Dr Christian Thompson

● 4pm–6.30pm— Pause: hosted by Nayuka Gorrie, aboriginal activist and writer

● 7pm–9.30pm—Narrate: hosted by Karen McCartney, editorial director at Temple & Webster

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