Turning Torso – The Twisted Skyscraper

Name of the building: Turning Torso

Location: Malmö

Country: Sweden

Designed by: Santiago Calatrava

Opened on: 27th August 2005

Height: 190 meters

Floors: 54

Space covered: 27,500 square meters

Used as: Residential and offices

URL: http://www.turningtorso.se/

5 quick facts about Turning Torso:

• Also known as HSB Turning Torso, it is the highest building in Sweden. The building is also the third highest residential building in Europe. The term “turning” doesn’t indicate any sort of movement, but its unique architecture.

• The idea of the building is very unique. It is made up of 9 cubes. Each of them has 5 stories. All these cubes are stacked one above the other and keep twisting from bottom to top. They are twisted as much as 90 degree from top to bottom.

• Although it was the first skyscraper in the world of its kind, but currently there are two buildings under-construction, that are being constructed as a twisted building. Infinity Tower of Dubai to be completed in October 2013 while Chicago Spire(owned by Calatrava) in Chicago is expected to complete in 2014.

• If the building is twisted, what about the elevators? Are they also twisting like the building? The answer is NO, the elevators rise straight from bottom to top.

• The building has apartments, offices, conference centers and almost all the major facilities. It is a private building so the tourists are not allowed to visit the building.