# Iridescent Color-Changing Building Facades The Secret Behind MVRDV Shopping Center is the Tiles By Kalin Ned | Published 2018-10-19 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/colorchanging-building References: [dezeen](https://www.dezeen.com/2018/10/19/mvrdv-kwg-m-cube-beijing-shopping-centre-iredescent-ceramic-tiles-architecture-china/) & [mvrdv.nl](https://www.mvrdv.nl/) Dutch architecture firm [MVRDV's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tiffany-co-store) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ucca-clay-museum) 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." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.0/10 - Popularity: 74% | Activity: 69% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Iridescent Facades:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing new materials and technology to create color-changing building facades that dynamically interact with the environment. - **Artistic Mall Architecture:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Rethinking traditional mall design by embracing a more artistic approach that enhances the visual appeal and ambiance of the shopping experience. - **Interlocking Checkerboard Patterns:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Exploring new patterns and designs for building facades that create a noticeable contrast and add a unique visual element to architectural compositions. ### Where This Applies - **Architecture and Construction:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Collaborating with material scientists and engineers to develop innovative building materials and techniques that enable the creation of iridescent and interactive facades. - **Retail and Shopping Centers:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporating artistic elements into mall architecture to enhance the overall design aesthetic and offer customers a more visually engaging and immersive shopping experience. - **Ceramic Manufacturing:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Researching and developing advanced ceramic glazing and firing techniques to produce three-layered tiles with a color-changing and iridescent effect. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Curved Glass Veiled Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tiffany-co-store.md) - [Recycled Glass Retail Facades](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bulgari-shanghai.md) - [Ultra-Colorful High-Density Residential Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/highdensity-residential-design.md) - [Office Building Rainbow Facades](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vertical-rainbow-office.md) - [Glass Facade Shopping Centers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/harajuku-quest.md) - [Colorful Rooftop Unified Buildings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nantou-hybrid-building.md) - [Color-Shifting Art Museums](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-quartet-songzhuang-z-museum.md) - [Pixelated Illusion Housing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/van-b.md) - [Metal Sheet-Facade Book Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shanghai-book-city.md)