When an architecture master meets culinary art, what sparks will fly? In Tadao Ando’s MPavilion 10, there is an artistic project called “Grayscale Ice Cream” that allows people to experience a cross-sensory aesthetic experiment.
This is the conceptual creation “Escala De Cinzas (Grayscale)” by Brazilian artist João Loureiro in collaboration with the Italian ice cream shop Piccolina Gelateria in Melbourne. Since 2014, the Naomi Milgrom Foundation has invited architects from around the world to participate in an artistic program that transforms the temporary public pavilion “MPavilion,” designed for the Queen Victoria Gardens in downtown Melbourne, into a platform for exchange and experimentation. Various lectures, performances, and events are held within the “MPavilion,” allowing people to experience, participate, and share, continuously breaking the boundaries of art and encouraging reflection on the relationship between architecture, art, and design. The current MPavilion marks its tenth edition and is designed by the renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, making it his first architectural work in Australia.
Tadao Ando’s designs and creations are unique, excelling at utilizing nature and geometric shapes to evoke a delicate and rich aesthetic. He has been recognized as one of the most influential architects, becoming a pilgrimage landmark for many. In the design of MPavilion 10, he has continued his iconic style and orientation, incorporating materials such as concrete, geometric shapes and lines, and natural landscapes.
In this instance, artist João Loureiro has found a resonance between art and taste. This special ice cream, named “Greyscale,” transforms Tadao Ando’s signature minimalist aesthetic into a rich sensory experience—ranging from the lightest morning mist gray to the deepest carbon black, it features six distinct flavors that not only introduce visitors to Ando’s architectural designs but also perfectly mimic the colors and textures that embody Ando’s design philosophy and aesthetics, creating a truly unique gelato experience.
Rest assured, although the ice cream has a color reminiscent of cement, it is entirely made from fresh and natural ingredients; João Loureiro also uses the absence of these colors to create a sense of uncertainty. What exactly does this ice cream taste like? What are you really savoring?
In fact, as early as last year, artist João Loureiro launched the “Gray Ice Cream,” which received a warm response, leading him to collaborate once again with Piccolina, an Italian ice cream shop in Melbourne.
Why not try to imagine savoring the texture of concrete with your tongue, feeling the soul of architecture with your taste buds! Each bite is a unique interpretation of minimalism, and it is also a sensory dialogue that blends architecture, art, and cuisine.
Location: Queen Victoria Gardens, Melbourne
Date: December 20, 2024 to March 22, 2025 (Weekends only)