Turning Torso
See the full list of Unusual buildings of the week here.
Turning Torso is a neo-futurist skyscraper in Malmo, Sweden. Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and completed in 2005, it was based on his own white marble sculpture of a twisting human being. It was the world’s first ‘twisting’ tower and at 190 m (623 ft), it is the tallest building in Scandinavia.
The tower formed by nine irregular pentagonal segments of five storeys. These units twist around the vertical core as the building rises. The top segment is twisted 90-degrees clockwise relative to the ground floor. Following the twist of the building, the façade consists of curved aluminium panels and windows that lean either inwards or outwards.
The building’s exoskeleton is formed by tapered white steel tubes. Horizontal and inclined tubes between each segmented module fix the exoskeleton to steel anchors embedded in shear walls at the rear corners of the building. In this way, the exoskeleton provides wind resistance and dampens vibrations, while the spinal core takes vertical loads.
The bottom two segments provide commercial office space, while the rest of the building is residential, with apartments which have unique layouts depending on their position in the building.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Statement from the Interim Chief Construction Advisor
Thouria Istephan; Architect and inquiry panel member outlines ongoing work, priorities and next steps.
The 2025 draft NPPF in brief with indicative responses
Local verses National and suitable verses sustainable: Consultation open for just over one week.
Increased vigilance on VAT Domestic Reverse Charge
HMRC bearing down with increasing force on construction consultant says.
Call for greater recognition of professional standards
Chartered bodies representing more than 1.5 million individuals have written to the UK Government.
Cutting carbon, cost and risk in estate management
Lessons from Cardiff Met’s “Halve the Half” initiative.
Inspiring the next generation to fulfil an electrified future
Technical Manager at ECA on the importance of engagement between industry and education.
Repairing historic stone and slate roofs
The need for a code of practice and technical advice note.
Environmental compliance; a checklist for 2026
Legislative changes, policy shifts, phased rollouts, and compliance updates to be aware of.
UKCW London to tackle sector’s most pressing issues
AI and skills development, ecology and the environment, policy and planning and more.
Managing building safety risks
Across an existing residential portfolio; a client's perspective.
ECA support for Gate Safe’s Safe School Gates Campaign.
Core construction skills explained
Preparing for a career in construction.
Retrofitting for resilience with the Leicester Resilience Hub
Community-serving facilities, enhanced as support and essential services for climate-related disruptions.
Some of the articles relating to water, here to browse. Any missing?
Recognisable Gothic characters, designed to dramatically spout water away from buildings.
A case study and a warning to would-be developers
Creating four dwellings... after half a century of doing this job, why, oh why, is it so difficult?
Reform of the fire engineering profession
Fire Engineers Advisory Panel: Authoritative Statement, reactions and next steps.
Restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster
A complex project of cultural significance from full decant to EMI, opportunities and a potential a way forward.
Apprenticeships and the responsibility we share
Perspectives from the CIOB President as National Apprentice Week comes to a close.