China unveils 590-feet ‘Dance of Light’ skyscraper inspired by Northern lights
True to its moniker, the Dance of Light skyscraper, which was just inaugurated in Chongqing, China, is one of the most twisted structures in the entire world.
Owing to advancements in architecture, engineering, and architectural computer programmes, twisted high-rises have become increasingly common during the past 10 years. China has recently unveiled one of the world’s most twisted architectural features. True to its moniker, the ‘Dance of Light’ skyscraper, which was just inaugurated in Chongqing, China, is one of the most twisted structures in the entire world.
The 180-meter tower, which evokes the shape of the northern lights, was created by the architecture firm Aedas. According to a media report, the 180 metres (590 feet) tall Dance Of Light tower was completed this year. It has a twisting facade that resembles the northern lights.
The structure, which is situated on Xingfu Plaza in Chongqing’s Jiangbei District, is reported to use the basic and graceful shape of a double-curved façade to give the sense that it is twisting. Aedas global design principal Ken Wai stated that the facade is not just an expression of the exterior, but also a form of protection that sculpts the inner spaces.
In a press release, Aedas said, “When night falls, the curved facade showcases reflections that allude to the dancing figure of a ballerina. 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.”
Light is important in emphasising the twisted shape of the tower since the designers were inspired by the dancing aurora, which are the rays and spirals of the polar lights frequently observed in the Arctic and Antarctic. The light reflects and bends across the glass façade of the skyscraper, changing the view of it from various angles. The Dance Of Light tower, according to Aedas, features a “twisting angle” of up to 8.8 degrees per storey, which the studio claims is over 1.5 times greater than any previous ultra high-rise tower.
Other similar edifices in the world
The Turning Torso, a twisted skyscraper designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and constructed in 2005 in Malmo, Sweden, was the first example of this avant-garde architectural movement. Other well-known twisted structures include the 306-meter-high (1004-foot-high) Cayan Tower in Dubai, built by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and finished in 2013, as well as MAD Architect’s Absolute World Towers, located in Canada and finished in 2012.
