A global architectural icon, The Parthenon, an Ancient Greek temple, is an apex symbol of Western civilisation, democracy, and perfection. Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang’s Temple of Boom celebrates these interpretations, while simultaneously expanding our understanding of the iconic Parthenon building and the enduring beauty it emanates.

The evocative reimagining of The Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens as the Temple of Boom is the National Gallery of Victoria Garden Architecture Commission for 2022, an annual series that invites Australian architects to create a work of site-specific, ephemeral architecture for the NGV Garden.

The likeness of The Parthenon will be painted with overlapping large-scale artworks by Melbourne-based artists, imbuing the ancient monument with further layers of meaning and drawing inspiration from the vibrant colours and artistic embellishments that defined the original building over two-thousand years ago.

Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang invite audiences to reflect on the conversations that are enabled when this ancient building is viewed in new and surprising contexts. In particular, the projects ask us to consider the effect of time on all architecture. Temple of Boom reflects the slow yet unstoppable processes of change that transform all cultural, geological, and ecological systems. The geological forces that shape the world, layers that accumulate as cities grow over generations, and the rise and fall of monuments set against a backdrop of social, political and cultural change.

Taking its name from the vibrations of music, Temple of Boom is envisioned as a meeting place for the community and an outdoor venue for a diverse program of NGV-curated performances, programs, and live music across the summer period.