Iridescent Color-Changing Building Facades

Dutch architecture firm MVRDV's color-changing building in Beijing is a shopping center. The cube-shaped structure enjoys a modern design that dynamically interacts with its environment. The designers diverged from traditional mall architecture — blinding fluorescent lights and LEDs, and embraced a more artistic approach. The color-changing building's properties are created thanks to the hand-glazed ceramic tiles that add an iridescent effect. The pieces are three-layered, with each "applied and fired at different temperatures."

MVRDV's facade presents an interlocking checkerboard pattern that adds a noticeable contrast between elements within the composition. The color-changing building's tiles respond to differences in light and angles, ultimately creating a dynamic exterior that satisfies both the developer — KWG Group Holdings, and the city's government who wanted the structure to "suit its surroundings."