Buildings can appear to be twisted by design, where the twisting (torsion, helix, etc.) is structural rather than merely an ornamental detail. CTBUH defines a “twisting” building as one that progressively rotates its floor plates or its façade as it gains height. Usually, but not always, each plate is shaped similarly in plan and is turned on a shared axis a consistent number of degrees from the floor below. A stunning variety of textures, view angles, and ripple effects results from these manipulations, making these “twisters” some of the world’s most iconic buildings – and in many cases, aerodynamic and energy-efficient. In this study, we rank the world’s 28 tallest twisting towers (either completed or under construction as of July 2016) and display selected variations on the theme. When the Turning Torso designed by Santiago Calatrava Architects & Engineers was completed in 2005, the world had its first twisting skyscraper. In the 11 years since then, an additional 28 buildings of at least 90 meters in height have been completed or began construction in 19 countries across five continents. Aided by new technologies assisting architectural and structural design, a proliferation of tall twisting towers is now spreading across the globe.
The World’s Tallest “Twisting” Towers :
Included below are 20 buildings, over 90 meters, under construction or complete as of July 2016, that “twist” through a gradual rotation of floor plates, ranked in order from the tallest. The list identifies the absolute degrees of rotation from the ground floor to the top floor plate, typically determined through an examination of technical drawings and comparison of floor plans.
1. SHANGHAI TOWER
Shanghai, CHINA
Height : 632 m (2,073 ft.)
Rotation : 120°
2. OCEAN HEIGHTS
Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Height : 310 m (1,017 ft.)
Rotation : 40°
3. CAYAN TOWER
Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Height : 306.4 m (1,005 ft.)
Rotation : 90°
4. REGENT EMIRATES PEARL
Abu Dhabi, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Height : 255 m (837 ft.)
Rotation : 25°
5. NINGBO BANK OF CHINA HEADQUARTERS
Ningbo, CHINA
Height: 246 m (807 ft.)
Rotation : 60°
6. EVOLUTION TOWER
Moscow, RUSSIA
Height : 246 m (807 ft.)
Rotation : 156°
7. AL MAJDOUL TOWER
Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA
Height : 244 m (801 ft.)
Rotation : 135°
8. F&F TOWER
Panama City, PANAMA
Height : 232.7 m (763 ft.)
Rotation : 315°
9. AL TIJARIA TOWER
Kuwait City, KUWAIT
Height : 218.2 m (716 ft.)
Rotation : 80°
10. UNITED TOWER
Manama, BAHRAIN
Height : 200 m (656 ft.)
Rotation : 180°
11. AL BIDDA TOWER
Doha, QATAR
Height : 196.6 m (645 ft.)
Rotation : 60°
12. SOCAR TOWER
Baku, AZERBAIJAN
Height : 195.9 m (643 ft.)
Rotation : 20°
13. TURNING TORSO
Malmo, SWEDEN
Height : 190 m (623 ft.)
Rotation : 90°
14. TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTEL AND TOWER
Vancouver, CANADA
Height : 187.8 m (616 ft.)
Rotation : 45°
15. GENERALI TOWER
Milan, ITALY
Height : 177.4 m (582 ft.)
Rotation : 49.6°
16. ABSOLUTE WORLD BUILDING D
Mississauga, CANADA
Height : 175.6 m (576 ft.)
Rotation : 209°
17. MODE GAKUEN SPIRAL TOWERS
Nagoya, JAPAN
Height : 170 m (558 ft.)
Rotation : 114°
18. ABSOLUTE WORLD BUILDING E
Mississauga, CANADA
Height : 157.9 m (518 ft.)
Rotation : 200°
19. ARENA TOWER
London, UNITED KINGDOM
Height : 149.1 m (489 ft.)
Rotation : 96°
20. AVAZ TWIST TOWER
Sarajevo, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Height : 142 m (466 ft.)
Rotation : 60°
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