On the eve of Melbourne Design Week 2021, Partner Mathew van Kooy talks about The Solar Pavilion, a collaboration between Wardle and Ash Keating Studio. During MDW, it will host a series of talks to invite fearless thinking about Melbourne’s future - what it could be and what should it be, immersed in technology that will transform our lives.

In late 2019, Ross Harding visited our Collingwood studio to talk about A New Normal, his vision for Melbourne’s future as a self-sufficient city. We were inspired by the urgency and importance of his message. Two years later, we’re delighted to be part of The New Normal City Hub at MDW, which realises part of Finding Infinity’s much larger proposition.

The theme of MDW 2021 is Design the World You Want. In response, we created a pavilion that acts as a prototype – a finely crafted timber structure supporting 68 x 260W solar panels. Each day, the pavilion will generate 56Kw/h, which equates to 18,000Kw/h a year. Enough to power a New Normal Australian Home in 2030 for two years. If all the rooftops in Greater Melbourne had solar panels, they could power 76% of the city. The pavilion is both a prototype and pathway to a more sustainable future.