The 1,200 untreated rods of brass tubing that make up the outside of the newly finished Tales Pavilion may look good now, but check back in a few years and they'll have really come into their own. Built for Beijing's Design Week 2013 by Italian designer Luca Nichetto, the façade of the structure is meant to change color over time as the rods oxidize, forming the bright teal patina that's normally the bane of antique collectors and brass musicians alike. The pavilion, which serves as a retail structure and gallery for a number of international brands, is an exercise in planned deterioration of the kind that is usually left for short-lived, less-expensive projects.
Inside is a reception made from recycled oak that connects to six showrooms, each built from a different palette of colors and materials to better feature the wares on display. Upstairs, for example, the gray stone walls that are such a stark departure from the first floor provide a nice backdrop for an array of Foscarini lamps. While the potted plants scattered throughout might just be for oxygen-producing, stress-relieving purposes, they also serve as a nice prelude to the façade's slow transition to green.
· Pavilion with 1,000 "Brass Grass" Rods Turn Green with Time [My Modern Met]
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