Calatrava's twisting spine — a sculpture you can live in
Skyscraper in Malmö, Sweden.
Featured in Santiago Calatrava's definitive monograph, Santiago Calatrava: Complete Works.
Visitor Guide
The building isn't publicly accessible (it's residential), but the exterior is the artwork. Walk along the Västra Hamnen waterfront for the full experience. Best seen from across the Öresund.
From the Västra Hamnen beach/boardwalk for the full twist against the sky. From the Öresund Bridge approach for the skyline context. At sunset with the Øresund water in foreground.
Residential building — no public access. The surrounding Västra Hamnen neighborhood has public waterfront paths. Occasionally the ground-floor conference rooms host events.
The building twists 90° from base to top across its 54 floors. It's based on Calatrava's sculpture "Twisting Torso" — a white marble piece of a human form rotating. Each floor plate is the same pentagon; they're simply rotated ~1.6° per floor.
15 minutes (exterior)
Design & Structure
Calatrava derived the form from his own sculpture of a twisting human torso. Each of the 9 five-story cubes rotates slightly relative to the one below — the twist is systematic, not arbitrary. The exoskeleton is an external steel spine that wraps the building, resisting the torsional wind forces generated by the twist.
White concrete, steel exoskeletal spine, glass. The white finish and twisted form create constantly changing shadow patterns throughout the day — the building is a sundial.
The external steel spine is the primary lateral system — it resists both wind and the eccentric loads created by the twist. A cylindrical concrete core provides gravity support.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Turning Torso?+
Turning Torso was designed by Santiago Calatrava and completed in 2006. It is located in Malmö Municipality, Sweden.
Where is Turning Torso located?+
Turning Torso is located in Malmö Municipality, Sweden. Its coordinates are 55.6133°, 12.9764°.
When was Turning Torso built?+
Turning Torso was completed in 2006. It was designed by Santiago Calatrava.
Can I visit Turning Torso?+
Turning Torso is a real building in Malmö Municipality that can be viewed from the outside. Check local information for interior access and visiting hours. Use the Parametric Atlas walking tour feature to plan a route that includes this building.