Turning Torso Skyscraper, Malmo

Turning Torso is a neo-futurist residential skyscraper located in Malmö, standing as a landmark of architectural innovation. Designed by the renowned Spanish architect and structural engineer Santiago Calatrava, it was officially opened on 27 August 2005. Reaching a height of 190 meters (620 feet) and consisting of 54 stories, it was the tallest building in the Nordic region until 2022, when it was surpassed by Karlatornet in Gothenburg.

Inspired by Calatrava’s sculpture, Twisting Torso, which depicts the dynamic form of a twisting human body, the building is a unique addition to the Malmö skyline. Its structure is composed of nine segments, each consisting of five pentagon-shaped stories that rotate around a central core. As the structure ascends, the topmost segment twists 90 degrees clockwise from the base, giving it the iconic "twisting" appearance.

Commissioned by the Swedish cooperative housing association HSB, Turning Torso has a dual-purpose layout. The lower two segments serve as office spaces, while segments three to nine accommodate 147 residential apartments. It also boasts a public observation deck on the 49th floor and hosts private club facilities, a reception area, and a restaurant on floors 50–52. The top two floors, 53 and 54, are dedicated conference spaces managed by Sky High Meetings.

Turning Torso’s architectural prowess has been recognized with several awards, including the 2005 Gold Emporis Skyscraper Award and the 2015 10-Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. It is considered the world’s second twisted skyscraper after the Telekom Tower in Malaysia.

One of the building’s most remarkable events took place on 18 August 2006, when Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner parachuted onto its structure and then base-jumped off it, cementing its status as a daring feat of modern engineering. Today, the Turning Torso remains a symbol of Malmö’s skyline, embodying a seamless fusion of art, architecture, and engineering ingenuity.