ARC403 L-28

Turning Torso, Sweden

Ar.Vivek sehgal
LOCATION
Cayan Tower Dynamic Tower , Dubai
(Infinity Tower), Dubai
The vision of HSB Turning Torso is based on a sculpture
called Twisting Torso. In 1999 HSB Malms former
Managing Director Johnny rbck saw the sculpture in a
brochure and he got the idea to build HSB Turning Torso.
Shortly thereafter he travelled to Zurich to meet with
Santiago Calatrava (Architect) and ask him to design a
residential building based on the idea of a structure of
twisting cubes.
Calatrava is a trained sculptor, architect and engineer
and is among other things responsible for projects such
as the Olympic Sports Complex in Athens. Santiago
Calatrava creates his work with the eye of the sculptor
and is inspired by both animals and humans and their
natural movements. By combining the free forms of art
with strict geometry and modern technologies, he
crosses boundaries and constructs unique buildings. He
is also responsible for some of the fascinating works of
art located in HSB Turning Torso.
HSB Turning Torso is an amazing combination of sculpture
and building. It is also one of the few landmarks in the
world which becomes part of everyday life with its ten
floors of offices, 147 apartments and meeting facilities on
the two top floors. (Total height is 190m)
This is a solid immobile building constructed in nine
segments of five-story pentagons that twist relative to
each other as it rises; the topmost segment is twisted 90
degrees clockwise with respect to the ground floor. Each
floor consists of an irregular pentagonal shape rotating
around the vertical core, which is supported by an
exterior steel framework. The two bottom segments are
intended as office space. Segments three to nine house
147 apartments.

Foundation

The core is an enormous concrete pipe, with an inner

diameter of 10.6 metres and walls which gradually go
from 2.5 metres in thickness at the bottom to about 0.4
metres at the top of the building. Inside the core there are
lift shafts and staircases.
Structural slab

The structural slab is fitted around the core. The forms for
the structural slab are shaped like slices of a pie, and
together they form an entire floor. The forms were rotated
1.6 degrees for each floor in order to create the
characteristic twist of the building.

Spine

On the exterior of the building there is an outer steel

support, which is linked together by the spine. The steel
support transfers shearing forces to the supporting
concrete core. The total weight of the steel support frame
is approx. 820 tons.
Faade

The glass and aluminium facade is very complicated.

Because the building twists, the facade is double curved.
There are approx. 2,313 panels and 2,368 windows in the
facade. The panels are curved and the glass panels are
flat.
In order to follow the twist of the building, the windows
are leaning either inwards or outwards, depending on
which side of the building they are on. On the western
side they are leaning inwards and on the eastern,
outwards. This leaning of the windows is between 0 and 7
degrees, while the lateral leaning is about 6 degrees.
Sustainability

HSB Turning Torso is not only a wonder of cutting-edge

architecture; it is also a building which facilitates an
environmentally adapted way of life.
The building is supplied with 100% locally produced
renewable energy. Energy efficient building envelope
(windows and external walls) have been installed which
lives up to energy consumption objective. Many of the
installations are energy efficient. By monitoring heat and
water consumption in each apartment residents can plan
their own energy costs and thereby their impact on the
environment.
There is a kitchen waste disposal unit in every apartment
for grinding organic waste. Also, the many shared
facilities may lessen the need for car travel.