The shimmering facade for a mall

Exterior construction work has almost been completed on the M-Cube Shopping Centre in Beijing, China, which features a shimmering facade that changes colour from grey to pearlescent. The 44,000 sq metre structure sits in the central Chongwenmen district of Beijing and will serve as a centralised hub for retail, cuisine and leisure. The project is set to be completed in the summer of this year.

The basic volume was extended to the maximum allowed height to maximise space and then cut away to establish visual and symbolic connections with various key parts of the city: the Forbidden City, from the top levels; Beijing railway station, from the middle terrace; and the main street and metro station at ground level.

Designed by MVRDV Architects, the building is centred around an atrium, with retail space located on the lower levels and restaurants and bars on the upper floors. An underground passageway connects the shopping centre to the metro.

The changing facade is a key component of MVRDV’s design. They believe the facade design balances between the desire of the client to create a striking building and the restrictive architectural conditions in that part of Beijing, demanding greys and beiges. Depending on the viewpoint, both parties can be satisfied as the facade material appears differently when looking at different angles — it varies from subtle grey to all colours of the rainbow.

The pearlescent ceramic tiles, developed by manufacturers NBK and HDTC, aim to keep the building in a constant state of visual animation.  Each of the tiles is hand-glazed and emits various colours, depending on the angle from which they are viewed, revealing new patterns and colours as lighting conditions change.