One of the world’s most twisted towers has been unveiled in Chongqing, China.
The Dance Of Light tower, designed by architecture firm Aedas and completed this year, is 180 meters (590 feet) tall and features a twisted facade that emulates the shape of the northern lights, according to a press release.
Aedas said the building utilizes the simple and elegant form of double-curved facades to create the impression that the building is being twisted. It is located on Located on Xingfu Plaza in the Jiangbei District of Chongqing.
Ken Wai, Aedas global design principal told CNN that the facade “is not only an outlook expression, but also a way of protection that sculpts interior spaces.”
Dancing aurora- rays and spirals of the polar lights often seen in the Arctic and Antarctic, serves as inspiration for the towers. Light plays a crucial part in accentuating the twists of the structure. The view of the tower varies from different angles as light reflects and bends over the glass facades.
“When night falls, the curved facade showcases reflections that allude to the dancing figure of a ballerina,” said Aedas in the press release.
“The podium roof extends a coherent statement of sliding twist from top to bottom, echoing with the geometry of the tower and maintaining a consistent architectural style.”
Twisted high-rises have risen in popularity over the past 10 years thanks to new techniques in construction, engineering and architectural computer programs.
According to CNN, the Turning Torso, by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and built in 2005 in Malmo, Sweden, was the first twisted skyscraper that showcased the innovative style of architecture.
Other popular twisted buildings include MAD Architect’s Absolute World Towers, located in Canada, as well as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed 306-meter-high (1004-foot-high) Cayan Tower in Dubai.
