The architects at MVRDV have a way with façades that brings so much excitement, variety and innovation to the world. After previously covering their Crystal Houses and the magnificent M Cube, an experimental exterior in Kuala Lumpur is next to catch Tile Addict’s eye.
In a similar vein to Flexstone by Solus, the surface is cracked and separated, making way for light to escape. The resulting façade changes character by night, offering an intriguing glow, like hot running lava.
In a collaboration with Technical University Delft and Tensoforma, the design utilised Glass Reinforced Concrete (GRC) which was cut to shape and filled with resign. LED’s provide the light source. Combined with the large unusually shaped windows, the relatively thin sections of façade produce an unusual and inviting space to be felt and investigated up close.
There is almost something of a futuristic cave house about its appearance. The glow gives it a pulse, and the varied fractures reveal its nature. And like the Japanese style of pottery repair, Kintsugi, the beauty is in the cracks: pieced together by gold and made unique.
A new post by Hanna Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, September 2019.
