Shades of rural life reflected in Mildura's heart
The Mildura Rural City Council faced problems with its old mall in the middle of the town.
The pavement in Langtree Street was uneven and there was little shade for festivals and events aside from a modest 1980s canvas-covered pavilion, with room for at most a dozen people.
"The area had developed sporadically. There was a need for a new direction," says designer and artist Cat Macleod, co-director of architecture and art practice Bellemo and Cat.
At first the council called in engineers to deal with the uneven pavement. At their suggestion, urban planner Hansen Partnership was brought in, which in turn suggested a design competition to create a more congenial space for shoppers.
"Council realised this is the civic heart of Mildura, not just a shopping strip," says Macleod, who worked closely with her life and business partner, architect Michael Bellemo.
When Macleod and Bellemo, who won an Australian Institute of Architects (Victorian chapter) award for the design, first saw the mall, there was a solitary musician performing under the pavilion.
"Our brief was to provide sufficient shade for a country music festival, which can be up to several hundred people," says Macleod.
"The brief also included creating a focal point for the community."
As well as the mall, Bellemo and Cat looked at the surrounding landscape. Vineyards and orchards create a patchwork effect in hues of green and bronze, with the large, quilt-like pattern unique to the area.
"We also looked at some of the agricultural structures in place, such as the drying racks used for grapes," says Macleod.
This information was channelled into Bellemo and Cat's design, a pavilion of about 60 metres by 20 metres. Supported by steel columns, the City Heart Pavilion includes steel panels of different shapes and sizes with steel battens in four hues of green and bronze with a fibreglass roof at the centre.
"The pavilion still allows for dappled light, as well as shade," says Macleod.
"We also felt it was important to bring the agricultural component of Mildura into the township. It's important to celebrate the farmers' important contribution," she says.
Although there are seats in the mall, Bellemo and Cat designed a small concrete platform under the pavilion for seating or for smaller performances - a larger freestanding stage was provided by the council.
"The pavilion was quite a simple solution," says Macleod, sketching out the different combinations of steel frames.
However, the effect is eye-catching, reminiscent of the work of three-dimensional fabrics by Japanese designer Issey Miyake. And to ensure the "cloth" doesn't compete with the "seams", Bellemo and Cat concealed the services, needed for music amplification and lighting, within the structure.
The City Heart Pavilion is close to Cat and Bellemo's own heart, as the duo has established a reputation for artistic urban design projects. As well as in Melbourne's Docklands, they have created installations in schools and neighbourhood parks.
"You could say that many of our projects are art-based," says Macleod, "but unlike most art, they must also be functional and utilitarian."
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
The mall had uneven pavement, very little shade and a sporadic, dated layout that wasn’t serving shoppers or community events. The council first called in engineers and then an urban planner, which led to a design competition and a new direction to treat the strip as the civic heart of Mildura rather than just a shopping street.
The City Heart Pavilion was designed by architecture and art practice Bellemo and Cat — Cat Macleod and Michael Bellemo. The project followed recommendations from engineers and the Hansen Partnership urban planner, who suggested a design competition to create a more welcoming public space.
The pavilion is roughly 60 metres by 20 metres, supported by steel columns and made up of steel panels and battens in four hues of green and bronze with a fibreglass roof at the centre. It allows dappled light as well as shade, conceals services for music amplification and lighting within the structure, and includes a small concrete platform for seating or smaller performances.
Designers drew on the local landscape — vineyards and orchards that create a quilt-like patchwork of greens and bronzes — and agricultural structures like grape-drying racks. Those influences informed the pavilion’s patchwork steel panels and colours to celebrate the farmers’ contribution and bring a rural character into the township.
The brief specifically called for sufficient shade to host country music festivals of up to several hundred people. The pavilion provides sheltered space, a small concrete performance platform for intimate acts, concealed amplification and lighting services, and the council supplied a larger freestanding stage for bigger events.
Yes. The pavilion was designed to create a more congenial space for shoppers and to act as a focal point for the community, addressing the previous lack of shade and the mall’s uneven, sporadic development to better support both everyday use and special events.
Yes. The design by Bellemo and Cat won an award from the Australian Institute of Architects, Victorian chapter, recognising its architectural and urban design quality.
Bellemo and Cat have a reputation for artistic urban design projects. Beyond Mildura, they’ve created installations in Melbourne’s Docklands and worked on projects in schools and neighbourhood parks. They describe their work as art-based but also functional and utilitarian.
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