Architecture practice Playze and design firm Schmidhuber covered the Ningbo Urban Planning Exhibition Center in eastern China in a skin of pale green glazed ceramic tiles.
Located in Ningbo Eastern New Town overlooking the waterfront, the conference centre is a venue for exhibitions and events relating to urban planning and development.

"The goal was to create an engaging, accessible public space in the new district, and thereby foster the dialogue between citizens and decision makers," said Schmidhuber and Playze.
The long history of ceramic production in Ningbo inspired the centre's facade.

The tiled surface sweeps around the upper level of the entire centre like a green hill.
Varying gaps between each tile have created a screen that is solid in some areas and more open in others.
This variegation diffuses light and views in different areas of the interior.

"The ceramic screen gradually shifts between being nearly transparent to fully opaque, according to programme needs and views to the surroundings," explained Playze.

Raised atop a concrete base that sweeps up from the waterfront promenade, the centre's large, flowing form comprises four arms arranged around a central atrium.
Between each of these arms are paved terraces and green spaces.

These terraces are linked by a winding pathway that wraps around the centre's perimeter.
A single entrance sits at ground floor level, and steps lead up to four separate entrances in each side of the centre's ...