A tile building about 35 years old, renewed with a modern new color. After renovation: 100% occupancy — fully let
A large-scale renovation of a tile-clad building in Funabashi, Chiba, about 35 years after construction. With scaffolding up, we pressure-washed the walls, repaired tiles, and resealed the joints, then finished with a color change using AQ SHIELD Color. The beige tile with a green band seen during construction (left) was reborn after the work (right) as a clean, modern gray exterior. The tile's texture stays exactly as it was — this is how much a color change alone can transform a building's impression.
* These are actual photos of this Funabashi project (not illustrative images).
"Repainted — yet it looks as if the tiles had been replaced."
Paint an ordinary color onto a tile building and the thick paint film buries the tile's texture and joints, leaving an obviously "painted" look that feels unnatural. AQ SHIELD has a thin film, and its inorganic pigments bond directly to the tile, so only the color changes while the texture and joints remain exactly as they were. That is why the finish does not look painted — it looks as if the tiles had been replaced with tiles of a different color. That is what makes this such a breakthrough for recoloring tile.
Joints and texture, fully preserved
Color change with ordinary paint
The thick film buries the tile's texture and joints. The "painted" look shows, and the character of a tile building is lost.
Color change with AQ SHIELD
The film is thin and the inorganic pigments bond to the tile. Only the color changes while texture and joints remain — a finish that looks re-tiled.
Before the renovation, occupancy stood at 75%, with vacancies clearly visible. Once the work was complete, occupancy reached 100% — fully let. The reborn exterior helped draw tenants in, and the owner was delighted with the result.
* Occupancy rose from 75% before the renovation to fully occupied (100%) after completion.
This project was covered by a magazine for property owners. Once the issue is published, we will share the owner's comments on this page.
A color change does more than transform a building's impression — it creates an exterior that prospective tenants choose. The older a tile building is, the more clearly the effect of renovation shows, as this project demonstrates.
