The Dance Of Light tower, designed by architecture firm Aedas this year, is 180 meters 590 feet tall and has a twisted facade that mimics the shape of the northern lights, according to a press release.
The building is located in the Jiangbei district of Chongqing and uses a simple and elegant form of double-curved facades to create the impression that the building is being twisted, the firm said.
According to Ken Wai, Aedas global design principal, the facade is not only an outlook expression, but it is also a way of protection that sculpts interior spaces. The designers were inspired by the dancing aurora rays and spirals of the polar lights that are often seen in the Arctic and Antarctica, so light plays a key role in accentuating the twisted shape of the structure. The view of the tower is influenced by different angles as light reflects and bends over glass facades.
When night falls, the curved facade displays reflections that relate to the dancing figure of a ballerina, said Aedas in the press release.
The podium roof is a coherent statement of sliding twist from top to bottom, echoing with the geometry of the tower and maintaining a consistent architectural style. Advances in construction, engineering and architectural computer programs have led to a surge in popularity of high-rises over the last decade.
The Turning Torso, built by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava in Malmo, Sweden in 2005, was the first twisted skyscraper that showcased the innovative style of architecture.
Other popular twisted buildings include MAD Architects' Absolute World Towers, located in Canada and completed in 2012, as well as the 306 meter high 1,004 foot-high Cayan Tower in Dubai, designed by Skidmore, Owings Merrill and completed in 2013.
The Dance Of Light tower has a twist angle of up to 8.8 degrees per floor, which is nearly 1.5 times more than any other super high-rise tower, according to Aedas.
The tower has all the credits to be a city icon, particularly the significant twisting of the facade, Wai added.