Buildings can appear to be twisted by design, where the twisting ( torsion,

helix A helix () is a shape like a corkscrew or spiral staircase. It is a type of smooth space curve with tangent lines at a constant angle to a fixed axis. Helices are important in biology, as the DNA molecule is formed as two intertwined hel ...

, etc.) is structural rather than merely an ornamental detail. The

Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) is an international body in the field of tall buildings and sustainable urban design. A non-profit organization based at the Monroe Building in the city of Chicago, Illinois, United State ...

defines a twisting building as one that progressively rotates its floor plates or its

façade A façade () (also written facade) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a loan word from the French (), which means 'frontage' or ' face'. In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important aspect ...

as it gains height. There are 15 spiralled skyscrapers, and 13 more are under construction.

Turning Torso Turning Torso is a neo-futurist residential skyscraper built in Malmö, Sweden in 2005. It was formerly the tallest building in the Nordic region until September 2022, when it was surpassed by Karlatornet in Gothenburg, which is still under ...

, in

Malmö Malmö (, ; da, Malmø ) is the largest city in the Swedish county (län) of Scania (Skåne). It is the third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the sixth-largest city in the Nordic region, with a municipal popula ...

, Sweden is regarded as the first twisted tower or building. It was designed by

Santiago Calatrava Santiago Calatrava Valls (born 28 July 1951) is a Spanish architect, structural engineer, sculptor and painter, particularly known for his bridges supported by single leaning pylons, and his railway stations, stadiums, and museums, whose scul ...

and was completed in 2005. When completed, Diamond Tower will be the only building to twist a full 360 degrees along its height.

F&F Tower The F&F Tower (previously known as the Revolution Tower) is an office tower in Panama City, Panama. Key data *Total height: 242.9 metres (796 feet) *Total space - 60.753 m². *Condition: Finalised. *Position: **In Panama: 2012: 9th place ...

, in Panama City, holds the record for the tightest twist, that is, the highest average rotation per floor, at 5.943 degrees across each of its 53 floors; and as of 2017, it is the completed building with the highest total rotation, with 315 degrees.

List of tallest twisted buildings

The following list includes completed or

topped-out In building construction, topping out (sometimes referred to as topping off) is a builders' rite traditionally held when the last beam (or its equivalent) is placed atop a structure during its construction. Nowadays, the ceremony is often parlaye ...

buildings sorted by height. Buildings under construction are shaded in grey.

References

{{Reflist *

List of tallest twisted buildings

See also

References